Douglas County residents learn about their rights as federal immigration stokes fear, even in ...

On Monday, a group of concerned Douglas County residents attended a “know your rights” training at a community center in Lone Tree.

The organizing group, Democracy Now DougCO, hosts monthly events, where people discuss current events and advocacy. This month, the focus was on federal immigration tactics and what citizens can do to protect themselves and their neighbors.

In this south metro county, which has historically voted Republican and supported Trump in every presidential race he has run, some residents are concerned of his immigration enforcement reaching Colorado.

“I have family in Minneapolis and know what's happening there and want to help. I'm worried about it coming here,” said Sue Ahrendt of Lone Tree.

While the meeting’s agenda had been set before Renee Good and Alex Pretti were killed in Minneapolis by federal agents, the conversation revolved heavily around those events. Many worried that Colorado might be next on the list for a surge of federal agents. But Boulder District Attorney Michael Dougherty tried to ease some of the fear.

“Let’s not underestimate the power that we have and what makes a difference,” said Dougherty, who led the know-your-rights training at the meeting. A Democrat, Dougherty is running for Colorado attorney general. “The protests make a difference, legislation makes a difference…The rule of law, which, from my perspective, is the greatest and perhaps only shield we have right now.”

He said the county has been doing this training since 2018, but it has been doing more of them since the events unfolded in Minneapolis.

Worried residents

During the training, Dougherty gave guidance on how to protest and observe safely. He also highlighted the actions of local governments and attorneys, challenging the federal government in court.

While people at the event were happy about local governments standing up, the fear of agents misusing force and targeting immigrants persists.

“I still really worry about the people that are rounded up and are taken away to disappear in the facility and are not getting any help,” said Jon Meredith, an immigrant who has lived in the U.S. for about 20 years and became a citizen in 2009.

“I have had some of the same journey as people that I see being rounded up in the streets, and it just feels deeply un-American,” he said. “I can't imagine how it feels if you are going to be profiled by ICE or any of those sort of higher-risk groups than I am, and I still feel more at risk than I ever have in this country.”

He started coming to these monthly meetings right after Trump started his second term in 2025. He and his wife were looking for a place to find solutions.

“We started coming because we felt a sense of despair and hopelessness about some of the changes that we saw coming up with the change of administration. And my wife and I found it as a place where we could perhaps find some like-minded people and discuss and talk about how we felt about it and do something, maybe a little more positive than just fretting at home about it all.”

Erin Hutton, who lives in unincorporated Douglas County, said she attended on Monday because she’s looking for opportunities to make a difference. Since January, Hutton has held weekly protests in Highlands Ranch.

“I find being in community of like-minded folks is really energizing in a time where everything is really heavy and really disheartening,” she said. “No one's coming to save us. We need to be the change that we want to see.”