Pettersen, Brittany RSS Articles

At Press Conference, Rep. Pettersen Unites Leaders to Announce Her Legislation to Protect Colorado’s Progress in Combating Opioid Epidemic Amid Federal Cuts

Thu, 09 Apr 2026 04:00:00 GMT

Click Here for a downloadable version of this photo and others

LAKEWOOD – Yesterday, at a press conference with local leaders, U.S. Representative Brittany Pettersen (CO-07) introduced legislation – the Save Money, Save Lives Act – to repeal a provision in Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” that eliminates Section 1115 Waivers. These waivers allow states like Colorado to tailor Medicaid programs, including covering inpatient and residential treatment for substance use disorders (SUD). Expanding access to treatment not only saves lives, it reduces costly emergency care and hospitalizations, lowering long-term health care costs while helping people recover and rebuild their lives.

As a state lawmaker, Pettersen led the charge for Colorado to apply for a Section 1115 Waiver to cover residential substance use treatment after her mother, Stacy, was repeatedly unable to access the care she needed. Before treatment was available, Stacy overdosed more than 20 times in a single year and cycled in and out of emergency rooms. Because Rep. Pettersen never stopped fighting to save her mom’s life, Stacy recently celebrated eight years in recovery.

Since the waiver took effect in 2021, it has transformed Colorado’s approach to substance use treatment. Today, 15,000–20,000 people each year are able to access licensed residential and intensive SUD services, with nearly 50,000 Coloradans receiving support across the continuum of care annually. Over the first five years of the program, Colorado expanded its network of residential treatment providers statewide, integrated medication-assisted treatment and naloxone across emergency departments, primary care settings, and community health clinics, and expanded coverage for inpatient mental health care. Thanks in large part to Pettersen’s efforts, Colorado also saw a 35% decline in fentanyl-related deaths last year.

“This bill came from my experience fighting to save my mom’s life and seeing firsthand how broken our system was,” said Pettersen. “I watched her beg for help with nowhere to go, overdosing more than 20 times in her last year struggling until she was finally able to get the help that she desperately needed. She will soon celebrate 9 years in recovery and is an example of what’s possible when people get the help they desperately need.

“I fought alongside so many advocates who were with me yesterday to ensure that Medicaid covered substance use disorder treatment – drawing down hundreds of millions of dollars in federal funding for treatment and delivering the most important policies we’ve passed in the history of our state to increase our capacity for essential medical care and that saved countless lives. But the very waiver that Colorado relies on was eliminated in the Big Ugly Bill which is why I am fighting to change it. We must protect the progress we have made.”

Rep. Pettersen was joined by Cristen Bates, Deputy Medicaid Director and Office Director for CO Medicaid & CHP+ Behavioral Health Initiatives and Coverage at HCPF; Sarah Alquist the President of Jefferson Center; Racquel Garcia the Founder of Hard Beauty and Chair of CO’s Behavioral Health Administration Advisory Council; Dr. Robert Valuck; and other advocates.

This legislation is just the latest in Pettersen’s ongoing efforts to address the opioid epidemic in Colorado and across the country. In the state legislature, she spent a decade championing policies to improve access to substance use disorder treatment and has been working on the federal level to combat this crisis head-on. Pettersen has also introduced measures to address everything from the import of synthetic opioids like fentanyl, the financing of drug cartels, expanding access to treatment, and preventing overdose deaths by ensuring airplanes, law enforcement and hospitals are able to distribute naloxone when necessary.

Click HERE for the full text of the bill.

Background:

Section 1115 Medicaid Waivers allow states to tailor their Medicaid programs. In addition to covering residential and inpatient SUD care, Colorado’s waiver covers:

Re-entry services for adults and youth transitioning from correctional facilities.
Continuous eligibility for children 0-3 years and 12 months of continuous coverage for individuals leaving incarceration.
Health Related Social Needs (HRSN), housing and nutrition supports.

Provisions included in Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” change how budget neutrality is calculated for Section 1115 waivers, making it significantly more difficult for states to maintain or renew programs that expand access to treatment.

Rep. Pettersen’s legislation would repeal this harmful provision, preserving states’ ability to continue delivering life-saving treatment while saving money in the long-term.

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To access downloadable, high-quality photos, click here. To stay up-to-date on what Pettersen is doing in Congress, follow her on Twitter here, Facebook here, or Instagram here. Residents can also sign-up for her e-newsletter subscription here.

Rep. Pettersen Statement on Republicans’ Ongoing DHS Shutdown

Fri, 27 Mar 2026 04:00:00 GMT

Today, U.S. Representative Brittany Pettersen (CO-07) released the following statement after House Republican Leadership refused to allow a vote on Senate-passed legislation to fund the majority of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) – including Transportation Security Administration (TSA). The legislation excluded funding for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Patrol (CBP).

For weeks, Democrats have called for Republicans to fund the critical agencies and offices under DHS that serve the American people as tens of thousands of TSA workers were forced to work without pay. The prolonged partial government shutdown led to staffing shortages and historic airport delays nationwide only expected to get worse as the impasse continues.

“For more than 40 days, Republicans and Donald Trump have forced hardworking federal employees – including TSA officers who are already understaffed and overworked – to work around the clock without receiving a paycheck. Then, once Trump was no longer standing in their way, Republicans in the Senate did the right thing and worked with Democrats to pass legislation to pay our TSA agents, FEMA, and members of the Coast Guard.

“Let’s be clear: House Republicans are holding our federal employees hostage by refusing to move forward with this bipartisan legislation. This dysfunction means more mayhem at our airports and more suffering for the American people.

“There is no excuse for this constant chaos. This is not how our government is supposed to work, and it only undermines trust both here at home and abroad. Our country is completely and utterly exhausted by their incompetence.”

Rep. Pettersen consistently called for legislation to fund all agencies and offices – including TSA and FEMA – within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) except for ICE and CBP. Additionally, she signed a discharge petition to force a vote on this legislation after House Republican Leadership refused to move the bill forward.

Pettersen has also consistently voted against Donald Trump’s anti-immigrant agenda, including opposing over $75 billion in funding for immigration enforcement in the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act.” She also supports legislation to require DHS and ICE officers to clearly identify themselves during enforcement actions, legislation that would reinstate protections that bar ICE from conducting immigration enforcement in sensitive locations, including churches, schools, hospitals, and non-immigration courts, and has demanded accountability from DHS.

Special District Fairness and Accessibility Act Approved in House Committee

Wed, 25 Mar 2026 04:00:00 GMT

In a victory for special districts across the country, last week, the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee approved the Special District Fairness and Accessibility Act. The legislation (H.R. 2766), which is sponsored by Representatives Pat Fallon (R-TX) and Brittany Pettersen (D-CO), cleared the committee on a strong, bipartisan vote of 32-8.

To view the committee's action on H.R. 2766, please click here. The discussion on the bill begins at the 8:15 mark.

The Special District Fairness and Accessibility Act embodies NSDA's longstanding objective of codifying in federal law a first-ever, formal definition of special district. In addition to establishing such a definition, H.R. 2766 would direct the White House Office of Management and Budget to issue guidance to federal agencies requiring special districts to be recognized as local governments for the purpose of federal financial assistance determinations.

Looking ahead, the legislation is expected to be considered by the full House of Representatives at some point in the near future. As of this writing, it is unclear exactly when House leaders will schedule the bill for a floor vote. In the meantime, special districts are encouraged to reach out to their House delegation members to urge them to support H.R. 2766.

ASA Applauds Congressional Support for Non-Opioid Pain Treatments

Fri, 20 Mar 2026 04:00:00 GMT

KEY TAKEAWAYS

ASA applauds 25 bipartisan lawmakers for urging CMS to withdraw policies that would remove coverage of non-opioid pain treatments.
Peripheral nerve blocks are a safe and effective non-opioid pain treatment that has been covered by CMS for decades.
ASA, a coalition of pain medicine organizations, and bipartisan members of Congress urge CMS to continue Medicare coverage of peripheral nerve blocks.

Newswise — The American Society of Anesthesiologists, along with a coalition of pain medicine organizations, applauds the bipartisan group of 25 Congressional leaders for their support of access to non-opioid pain treatments, part of an ongoing fight against the opioid abuse epidemic. In their Congressional letter to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Service (CMS), the lawmakers urge the agency not to advance the recently proposed policies that deny coverage of peripheral nerve blocks (PNBs), a safe and effective non-opioid pain treatment, to ensure that Medicare continues to cover vital procedures for patients with chronic pain. ASA applauds Rep. Brittany Pettersen and Rep. Claudia Tenney, who led the request to CMS.

“As our nation continues to recover from the ongoing impacts of the opioid abuse epidemic, non-opioid alternatives are a critical component to ensuring pain management and increased quality of life,” said ASA President Patrick Giam, MD. “Anesthesiologists are experts in pain management and we strongly urge CMS to take action to continue access to peripheral nerve blocks and similar procedures.”

The proposals would deny coverage for peripheral nerve blocks and procedures for chronic pain and were put forth by five Medicare Administrative Contractors (MACs), who determine policy coverage for Medicare beneficiaries. The Pain Medicine Coalition, made up of ASA, the American Society of Regional Anesthesia and Pain Medicine (ASRA PM), the International Pain and Spine Intervention Society (IPSIS), and the American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (AAPM&R), strongly oppose the proposals.

As the lawmakers stated in their letter: “Should non-opioid procedures become unavailable to patients who frequently need pain management treatment, it is possible it could result in a spike in opioid use and misuse. Access to effective treatments, like PNBs, that avoid exposure to addictive opioid drugs are crucial to fighting the opioid epidemic that continues to claim the lives of Americans.”

ASA, the Pain Medicine Coalition, and many others in the pain medicine community have been very vocal regarding their concern for chronic pain patients as a result of these ill-advised policies. ASA has submitted its own formal communication and joined with the many pain societies in the Multisociety Pain Workgroup to send additional communication to the MACs. Physician leaders and staff from the Pain Medicine Coalition also met with the MACs to emphasize the strong clinical, scientific, and anecdotal evidence that exists to support the use of PNBs for chronic pain and restoring patients’ quality of life.

ASA joins the lawmakers in urging the MACs not to move forward with these proposals, and withdraw them in response to this overwhelming concern and the harm it would cause to patient care.

About the American Society of Anesthesiologists Founded in 1905, the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) is an educational, research and scientific society with more than 60,000 members organized to advance the medical practice of anesthesiology and secure its future. ASA is committed to ensuring anesthesiologists evaluate and supervise the medical care of all patients before, during and after surgery. ASA members also lead the care of critically ill patients in intensive care units, as well as treat pain in both acute and chronic settings.

For more information on the field of anesthesiology, visit the American Society of Anesthesiologists online at asahq.org. To learn more about how anesthesiologists help ensure patient safety, visit asahq.org/madeforthismoment. Follow ASA on Facebook, X, Instagram, Bluesky, and LinkedIn.

Evergreen shooting prompts Colorado bill requiring faster social media response to search warrants

Wed, 18 Mar 2026 04:00:00 GMT

DENVER — State lawmakers are set to discuss a bill Wednesday that would require social media companies to respond to search warrant requests quicker.

HB26-1255 was created in response to the shooting at Evergreen High School in September. v

Denver7 was told then that the FBI was looking into social media posts made by the 16-year-old shooter, just two months before he critically injured two students. However, they couldn't identify who exactly was making the posts.

"There was some stuff that was kind of happening as events were unfolding before the shooting actually happened. And if we could nip something in the bud early on, before it gets to the point like it did here at Evergreen high school, I think that's better for the community," Josh Work, head chef at Wildflower Cafe, said.

We met just a couple days after the shooting. He was offering free breakfast to students.

On Tuesday, we re-connected.

"I think we're very much on the mend," he said.

The bill would require social media companies to acknowledge the receipt of a search warrant about a potentially dangerous person within 8 hours, provide status updates to law enforcement agencies on complying with the warrant and respond to the search warrant, pending changes from the court, within 24 hours.

"My initial take is that we, so much of our lives is digital and having participating in things that could be problematic or dangerous to the community. I think if a social media company has that sort of information, they should hand it over as fast as possible and try to prevent another another shooting like the one that happened here at Evergreen," Work said.

Rep. Brittany Pettersen has also introduced the "Evergreen Community Safety Act," which require much of the same from social media companies, but they'd have 72 hours to respond to the search warrant instead of 24.

Denver7 reached out to Meta, X and TikTok for their comment on HB26-1255. We've only heard back from Meta who declined to comment.

We also reached out to those who oppose the bill. Anaya Robinson, the policy director with the ACLU sent Denver7 the following statement:

“Our concern with the bill is mainly in the Duty to Report section. The bill, as currently written, would allow social media platforms to be the arbiters of what is and is not protected speech, rather than the courts. Once that decision is made, private information is mandated to be handed over to law enforcement, including the IP address, uniform resource indicator, email address, and digital address of the user. All data that, in most circumstances, law enforcement would need a judicial warrant or exigent circumstances to access. This bill does not require a warrant, but alternatively requires the platform to hand the private data over to law enforcement, regardless of the existence of a judicial warrant or exigent circumstances, within 24 hours, clearly circumventing the 4th amendment protections of platform users.”

House Passes Pettersen’s Bill to Bolster Post-Disaster Recovery Efforts

Mon, 16 Mar 2026 04:00:00 GMT

Today, the U.S. House of Representatives voted to pass the bipartisan Post-Disaster Reforestation and Restoration Act introduced by Representatives Brittany Pettersen (CO-07) and Chuck Edwards (NC-11). This bill would help communities impacted by natural disasters recover and rebuild more resilient to future threats through reforestation and restoration efforts.

Over 3 million Coloradans – more than half of the state’s population – live in a moderate to high-risk wildfire area. As wildfires become increasingly common, it is crucial to invest in post-disaster recovery strategies, including reforestation and restoration efforts, to rehabilitate damaged ecosystems and protect communities from future disasters.

“As wildfires become a year-round threat, prioritizing post-disaster recovery is critical to making sure our communities have what they need to recover and rebuild more resilient to future threats,” said Pettersen. “That means restoring damaged land by investing in reforestation and restoration efforts to reduce the risk of future catastrophic fires. I’m thankful for the partnership of Congressman Edwards and will keep working to get this signed into law so we are better prepared for wildfires and other threats for generations to come.”

Specifically, the Post-Disaster Reforestation and Restoration Act would:

Require the Department of Interior, in coordination with states, local governments, tribes, and colleges to identify critical lands in need of rehabilitation after natural disasters and support projects through grants, contracts, or cooperative agreements.

The legislation is endorsed by the following organizations: The Nature Conservancy, American Forests, National Association of Counties, the National Association of University Forest Resources Programs, and the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership.

CO Congressional Democrats Demand That ICE Stop Detaining People for ‘Extended Periods’ in ‘Small, Confined Rooms’

Thu, 12 Mar 2026 04:00:00 GMT

All six Democratic members of Colorado’s congressional delegation — led by U.S. Rep. Brittany Pettersen — demanded yesterday that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) “immediately” stop holding people for “extended periods of time in small, confined rooms that are meant to be a temporary holding space.”

In a letter to the Department of Homeland Security’s Acting Director Todd Lyons, the lawmakers seek answers to questions arising from reports, first published by the Colorado Times Recorder, that ICE is “holding detained individuals in small holding cells at Colorado ICE field offices for days — and in some cases weeks — at a time, with little to no oversight from Members of Congress.”

Between January and October of last year, ICE detained a total of 2,831 individuals in nine facilities, most of which are tucked into strip malls and industrial parks around the state, the Colorado Times Recorder reported. Many detainees were held for weeks in what ICE calls “hold rooms.”

“We are deeply concerned about the reports that ICE kept an individual in the holding cells for as long as 39 days – well beyond the three-day limit established by the DHS in June, which we also view as unacceptable,” they wrote.

Thirty-one members of Colorado’s state legislature — led by Adams County state Rep. Manny Rutinel, who is running for Congress — made a similar demand last week.

In their letter to Lyons, the members of Congress requested answers to six questions related to the hold room, including, Is ICE currently “keeping individuals in holding cells in ICE field offices for more than 12 hours at a time?” “What safety precautions are being taken to ensure that the detainee’s nutritional, medical, and hygiene needs are being met?” “What documentation procedures does ICE follow to ensure that [a] detainee’s location is tracked?” “When an individual is held in a holding cell, how does ICE ensure that their legal representation can access them?” And, “What is the protocol for allowing County Health Departments to conduct inspections for sanitation, food safety, and infectious disease control at these locations?”

Confirming the Colorado Times Recorder’s investigation into the hold rooms, ICE acknowledged in a statement to Fox 31 News on Friday that it detains individuals in its facilities in strip malls and office parks, writing that they are “ICE suboffices located throughout Colorado and the country” and “are where aliens may be asked to check in for appointments and where our officers report for work, conduct investigations, process arrests and may temporarily hold detainees before transferring them to a detention center.”

But contrary to the evidence reported by the Colorado Times Recorder, the Guardian, CNN, and other news outlets, ICE stated that the “holding cells” in these makeshift detention centers “conform to all national detention standards and are inspected regularly; they are akin to a sheriff’s office or police department suboffice.”

In fact, many, if not all, of the facilities are out of compliance with ICE’s standards, which state, among other things, that immigrants cannot be held in the “hold rooms” for more than 72 hours, which was increased from 12 hours in June. ICE’s own documents show that immigrants are held for up to weeks at a time and that many facilities lack beds and other basics.

Responding to Pettersen on X yesterday, ICE denied that the hold rooms were “secret.”

“They are sub-offices within the field office where ICE personnel are assigned, conduct operations, and process arrests,” ICE wrote on X. “Most of these offices have been open and operating for more than 15 years.”

In fact, in the Colorado Times Recorder’s survey of most of Colorado’s nine ICE offices with the “hold rooms,” none were labeled as jails or detention centers, even though detaining thousands of individuals is at least a part of their purpose.

In its statement to Fox 31, ICE acknowledged that children are held in its makeshift “cells,” stating, “On occasion, when a family unit is arrested, they may temporarily pass through a suboffice before transportation is arranged for them to a detention center with a family housing unit. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement does not separate families or deport U.S. citizens. Illegal alien parents — absent indications of abuse or neglect — can choose to take their children with them, regardless of the children’s immigration statuses. Parents who choose to leave their children in the U.S. have the option to designate a third-party caregiver. This has always been the case, and this policy aligns with President Trump’s executive orders. This directive simply standardizes the required forms for illegal alien parents.”

Wednesday’s letter was signed by Pettersen, Sens. Michael Bennet and John Hickenlooper, and Reps. Jason Crow, Diana DeGette, and Joe Neguse.

Neguse visited the ICE holding room in Garfield County, posting a video on BlueSky with the comment, “Recent public reporting indicates that ICE is holding immigrants at secret detention facilities across Colorado. Today, I attempted to conduct oversight at one of the locations in Garfield County.”

Colorado lawmakers demand answers over ICE sub-office detentions amid claims of rule violations

Thu, 12 Mar 2026 04:00:00 GMT

DENVER, Colorado — A recent article published by the Colorado Times Recorder shares that federal immigration authorities have been using United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement holding facilities throughout the state. Their investigation uncovered nine, prompting calls from the state's Democratic congressional delegation for answers. ICE is categorically denying that the holding facilities are "secret."

Columnist Logan M. Davis reported that in addition to the GEO Group holding facility in Aurora, where ICE detentions are publicly known, federal data reveals detainees were held in ICE sub-offices located in strip malls and business parks throughout the state.

"There are at least nine other facilities around the state in ICE sub-offices, in strip malls, in business parks, where people are also being held," Davis said.

The data, obtained through Freedom of Information Act litigation by the Deportation Data Project, originated from the Department of Homeland Security and includes check-in and check-out times, birth years and nationalities for each facility. According to Davis, more than 2,800 people were held across nine facilities between January and October 2024 alone.

ICE policy limits detention in hold rooms to 72 hours — a standard extended from 12 hours by a memo issued June 24, 2025. Despite that policy, the data shows some people were held for weeks. Davis reported that one man was held in a Colorado hold room for 39 days.

"One of the most concerning things we found was that there is this culture, seemingly, around these facilities of complete disregard for ICE's own internal rules," Davis said.

Davis visited several of the locations and found no external signage identifying them as detention facilities. The Colorado Springs location, he said, had no external or internal signage indicating a Homeland Security presence. A facility in Frederick was located in a strip mall that also houses a hospice.

The current address on file for the Denver hold room — which held more than 1,300 people last year — leads to a furniture store in Montbello. Davis said the actual current location of the Denver hold room is unknown.

Colorado's Democratic congressional delegation has responded. Rep. Joe Neguse traveled to 100 Midland Ave. in Glenwood Springs to attempt an oversight inspection of one of the reported facilities. No agency personnel responded when he arrived.

"It's raised far more questions than answers, and we intend to get to the bottom of it," Neguse said in a video recorded after the attempted visit.

Neguse joined Colorado's Democratic congressional delegation in sending a letter to Acting ICE Director Todd Lyons demanding answers about the holding cells.

Rep. Brittany Pettersen announced she is leading the Colorado Democratic delegation in demanding answers from the Department of Homeland Security.

"Holding vulnerable people in small rooms without proper facilities for days or weeks is unacceptable and inhumane," Pettersen wrote on X. "DHS must immediately explain how this happened and what steps are being taken to ensure basic standards of care are upheld."

ICE responded to Pettersen's statements, saying the locations are not secret. "These are not 'secret' holding rooms — they are sub-offices within the field office where ICE personnel are assigned, conduct operations, and process arrests," the agency said in response on X, adding that most offices have been open and operating for more than 15 years.

"These locations are not 'hidden' or 'black sites,' they are ICE suboffices located throughout Colorado and the country," an ICE spokesperson said in a statement to 9NEWS. "Many of the offices have holding cells which conform to all national detention standards and are inspected regularly, they are akin to a sheriff’s office or police department suboffice."

Colorado Democrats question ICE director over extended detentions in ‘holding cells’

Thu, 12 Mar 2026 04:00:00 GMT

Six Colorado Democrats on Wednesday demanded answers from Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials on the agency’s apparent violations of its own rules governing the detention of immigrants in holding rooms in nondescript locations across the state.

Scrutiny of the facilities follows a March 8 investigation by the Colorado Times Recorder, based on information from the Deportation Data Project. Last year, more than 3,000 individuals were detained in one of the nine holding facilities in the state, and many of them were recorded as having been kept there for weeks at a time.

Prior to last summer, ICE’s rules stated that detainees could be kept in hold rooms — which are prohibited from being equipped with “bunks, cots, beds or other sleeping apparatus,” and many of which do not have toilets — for no more than 12 hours. As it ramped up the agency’s operations in pursuit of its mass deportation agenda, President Donald Trump’s administration in June 2025 increased the time limit to 72 hours.

In a letter to Todd Lyons, the acting director of ICE, Colorado Democrats expressed deep concern about “the safety risks of keeping individuals in these holding cells for extended periods of time.”

“Detaining people for extended periods of time in small, confined rooms that are meant to be a temporary holding space goes against Department of Homeland Security policy, and we demand these actions stop immediately,” says the letter, signed by U.S. Sens. Michael Bennet and John Hickenlooper, and Reps. Diana DeGette, Joe Neguse, Jason Crow and Brittany Pettersen.

Data shows ICE facilities in Colorado have repeatedly exceeded the time limits both before and after the Trump administration’s change. Two Nicaraguan men were kept in a Denver hold room for 39 and 36 days, respectively. A 31-year-old man was held in a facility in Frederick for 34 days, while at least three men were detained in a Pueblo hold room for stays lasting between 12 and 19 days.

Neguse said Wednesday night that he had attempted to inspect a holding facility in Glenwood Springs, but the building appeared to be empty, and no one came to the door or answered the phone. He and Crow are plaintiffs in a long-running lawsuit against the Trump administration seeking to affirm the right of members of Congress to conduct oversight visits to ICE detention facilities, without the prior notice that the administration has attempted to require.

“Suffice to say that it’s raised far more questions than answers. We intend to get to the bottom of it,” Neguse said in a video taken outside the facility. “We know that the cruel and unconscionable practices of the Trump administration are wreaking havoc each and every day, including in communities like this one — and we’re going to continue to push back.”

ICE’s Denver field office responded to a statement from Pettersen about the hold rooms in a social media post. It called claims about the facilities “misinformation from an inaccurate source,” but did not respond to concerns about the extended detentions in hold rooms.

In their letter, Democrats ask ICE to respond by March 27 to a list of questions regarding its holding room practices, including “what safety precautions are being taken to ensure that the detainee’s nutritional, medical, and hygiene needs are being met.”

ICE also operates detention centers, which unlike hold rooms are equipped to detain people for extended periods. The agency operates one detention center in Colorado, located in Aurora, and it plans to open at least one more.

Agentes de la TSA sin pago en el aeropuerto de Denver: ¿qué deben saber los viajeros?

Thu, 12 Mar 2026 04:00:00 GMT

Filas de seguridad más largas, retrasos en vuelos y escasez de personal de la TSA se están volviendo cada vez más comunes en los principales aeropuertos de Estados Unidos mientras el segundo cierre del gobierno en seis meses se prolonga durante una de las temporadas de viaje más concurridas.

En el Aeropuerto Internacional de Denver —el principal aeropuerto comercial de Colorado y uno de los más transitados del mundo— los agentes de la TSA ya se quedaron sin su primer cheque de pago mientras continúan revisando a miles de pasajeros durante el periodo de viajes por Spring Break.

Los agentes de la TSA están clasificados como personal esencial y están obligados a trabajar sin paga durante el cierre parcial.

“Una vez más, los empleados federales en DEN trabajan incansablemente para garantizar que nuestro aeropuerto opere de manera eficiente y segura sin recibir salario," dijo el director ejecutivo de DEN, Phil Washington.

Tiempos de espera en el aeropuerto de Denver: qué saber antes de viajar

El Aeropuerto Internacional de Denver no ha reportado las interrupciones que se han visto en otros aeropuertos, con tiempos de espera actuales por debajo de 30 minutos. Sin embargo, el aeropuerto sigue alentando a los pasajeros a llegar con suficiente anticipación antes de su vuelo.

Se espera que más de 1.3 millones de pasajeros pasen por los puntos de control de seguridad del aeropuerto durante el periodo de Spring Break. Según el aeropuerto, los días con mayor tráfico previstos son el:

viernes, 13 de marzo
domingo, 15 de marzo
viernes, 20 de marzo
domingo, 22 de marzo

El aeropuerto señaló que los horarios pico con filas más largas son de 3 a 4:30 a.m., de 8 a 10 a.m., y de 3 a 5 p.m.

Se recomienda a los viajeros llegar al menos dos horas antes del embarque y consultar los tiempos de espera de la TSA en FlyDenver.com/security antes de dirigirse al aeropuerto.

Legisladora de Colorado insta al Congreso a aprobar proyecto para financiar la TSA

El cierre parcial comenzó el 14 de febrero después de que el Congreso no lograra aprobar un proyecto de financiamiento para el Departamento de Seguridad Nacional en medio de desacuerdos sobre la política de control migratorio.

Mientras los legisladores siguen sin llegar a un acuerdo, los empleados de la TSA en Colorado continúan sin recibir salario.

La representante federal Brittany Pettersen, demócrata por Colorado, instó el martes al Congreso a aprobar una legislación que garantice el financiamiento de la TSA durante futuros cierres.

Pettersen es copatrocinadora de la Ley para Mantener Seguro el Transporte Aéreo, que financiaría agencias del Departamento de Seguridad Nacional durante cierres, incluida la TSA y USCIS, pero excluiría fondos para ICE y CBP.

Aeropuerto DEN pide donaciones para trabajadores de la TSA

El Aeropuerto Internacional de Denver está pidiendo al público donar tarjetas de regalo de supermercados o gasolineras en denominaciones de $10 o $20 para apoyar a los trabajadores de la TSA que están laborando sin salario. No se aceptarán tarjetas de regalo Visa.

Las donaciones se recibirán hasta que finalice el cierre y pueden dejarse en contenedores y cajas de seguridad ubicadas en el Great Hall de la terminal Jeppesen y en el estacionamiento Final Approach Cell Phone Lot.

“Los empleados de la TSA acaban de perder su primer cheque de pago y, al entrar en un periodo de viajes muy activo por las vacaciones de primavera, queremos hacer lo posible para aliviar el estrés de este momento”, dijo Washington.

FY 2027 Community Project Funding (CPF) Webinar

Thu, 22 Jan 2026 23:00:00 GMT

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FY 2027 Community Project Funding (CPF) Webinar

Wed, 14 Jan 2026 15:00:00 GMT

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Littleton Mobile Office Hours

Tue, 16 Dec 2025 20:00:00 GMT

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Wheat Ridge Community Resource Fair

Thu, 20 Nov 2025 14:00:00 GMT

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Broomfield Mobile Office Hours

Wed, 29 Oct 2025 19:00:00 GMT

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Wetmore Mobile Office Hours

Thu, 30 Oct 2025 17:00:00 GMT

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Federal Workers and Community Resource Fair

Tue, 14 Oct 2025 13:30:00 GMT

The Office of Rep. Brittany Pettersen’s
Federal Workers & Community Resource Fair

Wednesday, October 14, 2025
9:30 AM – 11:00 AM

Community Room at Red Rocks Community College
13300 W 6th Ave, Lakewood, CO

RSVP HERE

Bailey Mobile Office Hours

Thu, 12 Jun 2025 19:00:00 GMT

Date: Thursday, June 12th
Time: 3:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Location: 83 Main St, Bailey, CO 80421, USA

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Broomfield Office Hours

Tue, 13 May 2025 19:00:00 GMT

Date: Tuesday, May 13
Time: 3:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Location: Broomfield Library, 3 Community Park Rd, Broomfield, CO 80020, USA

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Conifer Office Hours

Thu, 09 Oct 2025 19:00:00 GMT

Date: Thursday, October 9
Time: 3:00 pm - 4:30 pm
Location: Mountain Resource Center, 11030 Kitty Dr, Conifer, CO 80433

Pettersen, Brittany RSS Articles

At Press Conference, Rep. Pettersen Unites Leaders to Announce Her Legislation to Protect Colorado’s Progress in Combating Opioid Epidemic Amid Federal Cuts

Rep. Pettersen Statement on Republicans’ Ongoing DHS Shutdown

Special District Fairness and Accessibility Act Approved in House Committee

ASA Applauds Congressional Support for Non-Opioid Pain Treatments

Evergreen shooting prompts Colorado bill requiring faster social media response to search warrants

House Passes Pettersen’s Bill to Bolster Post-Disaster Recovery Efforts

CO Congressional Democrats Demand That ICE Stop Detaining People for ‘Extended Periods’ in ‘Small, Confined Rooms’

Colorado lawmakers demand answers over ICE sub-office detentions amid claims of rule violations

Colorado Democrats question ICE director over extended detentions in ‘holding cells’

Agentes de la TSA sin pago en el aeropuerto de Denver: ¿qué deben saber los viajeros?

Tiempos de espera en el aeropuerto de Denver: qué saber antes de viajar

Legisladora de Colorado insta al Congreso a aprobar proyecto para financiar la TSA

Aeropuerto DEN pide donaciones para trabajadores de la TSA

FY 2027 Community Project Funding (CPF) Webinar

FY 2027 Community Project Funding (CPF) Webinar

Littleton Mobile Office Hours

Wheat Ridge Community Resource Fair

Broomfield Mobile Office Hours

Wetmore Mobile Office Hours

Federal Workers and Community Resource Fair

The Office of Rep. Brittany Pettersen’s Federal Workers & Community Resource Fair

Bailey Mobile Office Hours

Broomfield Office Hours

Conifer Office Hours

The Office of Rep. Brittany Pettersen’s
Federal Workers & Community Resource Fair