Hickenlooper, Neguse, Bennet, DeGette, Crow, Pettersen Demand Answers as ICE “Death Cards” Investigation Raises Oversight Concerns

WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senator John Hickenlooper and Representative Joe Neguse led Senator Michael Bennet and Representatives Diana DeGette, Jason Crow, and Brittany Pettersen in calling on the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to disclose which ICE field office is conducting the investigation into reports that ace of spade "death cards" were left in cars belonging to individuals detained by ICE agents in Eagle County. The lawmakers requested a response before DHS Secretary Noem's last day at the agency.

This letter follows a February request from the lawmakers demanding DHS launch an immediate independent investigation. After the inquiry was passed between multiple offices, DHS said that the DHS Office of the Inspector General referred the case to the Office of Professional Responsibility, which then assigned the case to a field office for investigation. DHS failed to specify which field office is overseeing the investigation, which raises serious concerns about transparency and possible conflicts of interest.

"We remain deeply concerned by the allegations that federal agents were falsely acting as local law enforcement and that the ace of spades, long known as the "death card", was used to intimidate Latino communities,"the lawmakers wrote.

"While the investigation is ongoing, we request a formal, detailed briefing on ICE activities in Eagle County, to include information on the field office that is conducting the investigation." In addition, the lawmakers demanded, "… a report on findings of the investigation, and written confirmation of any disciplinary or corrective actions taken."

The "death cards" have a history of being used by white supremacist groups to intimidate people of color. These specific cards found in Colorado had the address and phone number of the Aurora ICE detention facility printed on them.

In January, Hickenlooper took to the Senate floor to condemn the racist "death cards," blast ICE's lawlessness, and denounce the killings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti. He also recently voted against the DHS funding bill because it fails to overhaul ICE.

Full text of the letter is available HERE and below.

Dear Secretary Noem:

We are writing to follow up on our February 2, 2026 letter regarding disturbing reports about U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) activities in Eagle County, Colorado. Reportedly, ICE agents in unmarked vehicles with attached sirens conducted imitation traffic stops and ultimately detained ten Latino individuals who are now being held at the Aurora Detention Facility. Additionally, according to multiple news reports and local community organizations, family members of the detained individuals found ace of spades cards inside multiple abandoned vehicles, printed with the address of the Aurora Detention Facility:

We remain deeply concerned by the allegations that federal agents were falsely acting as local law enforcement and that the ace of spades, long known as the "death card", was used to intimidate Latino communities. This behavior undermines public trust in law enforcement, raises civil rights concerns, and falls far short of the professional standards expected of federal agents. Additional death cards were reportedly also found in cars in other Colorado counties, heightening our concerns.

In our February 2 letter, we requested that DHS provide a formal, detailed briefing on ICE activities in Eagle County; a report on findings of the DHS investigation into the incident; an independent investigation by the DHS Office of the Inspector General into the activities of the Denver Field Office; and written confirmation of disciplinary or corrective actions taken. In response, DHS wrote that the DHS Office of the Inspector General referred the complaint to the Office of Professional Responsibility, who assigned the incident to a field office for investigation.

While the investigation is ongoing, we request a formal, detailed briefing on ICE activities in Eagle County, to include information on the field office that is conducting the investigation. We request immediate notification once the investigation is complete. At that time, we request a report on findings of the investigation, and written confirmation of any disciplinary or corrective actions taken.

Thank you for your attention to this matter. We respectfully request a response by March 20.

Sincerely,

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