A pro-illegal immigrant advocacy group on Friday helped an illegal convicted of rape escape federal agents, according to Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
The agency’s Denver office said agents were trying to detain Jose Reyes Leon-Deras when activists with Colorado Rapid Response Network tipped him off, allowing him to escape. Leon-Deras is a convicted child rapist from El Salvador who’s wanted in Italy, according to ICE.
“During our surveillance of Leon, members of Colorado Rapid Response arrived on scene and alerted him to law enforcement’s presence which allowed him to escape arrest,” ICE said in a post on X.
This morning ICE & @FBIDenver were attempting to arrest Jose Reyes Leon-Deras, a criminal alien from El Salvador who is convicted of and wanted for child rape in Italy. During our surveillance of Leon, members of Colorado Rapid Response arrived on scene and alerted him…
— ICE Denver (@ERODenver) June 21, 2025
ICE included a screenshot of a Colorado Rapid Response Network Facebook post, along with a headshot of Leon-Deras.
We attempted to arrest FUGITIVE & CHILD RAPIST Jose Reyes Leon-Deras with help from the FBI June 20.
🔎During our surveillance of this Salvadoran wanted for child rape in Italy, members of Colorado Rapid Response arrived on scene and ALERTED him to law enforcement’s presence… pic.twitter.com/Xij1ySyraS
— U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (@ICEgov) June 21, 2025
Colorado Rapid Response Network said in the post from Friday morning that there was an ICE operation in the area of Longs Peak Avenue and Martin Street in Longmont, which is an hour north of Denver.
“CONFIRMED AND ONGOING ICE presence near Longs Peak Venue and Martin St LONGMONT. The same agents that were shown in our video on Tuesday. Besides these two also a grey Malibu. We will update with a photo. Our volunteers are on site and assisting the people targeted,” the group said in the post.
Colorado Rapid Response Network updated the post later Friday morning, saying: “ICE has left the neighborhood. No one detained.”
“Volunteers confronted the ICE agents and used a bullhorn to to share their rights, ICE called the police to try and intimidate our volunteers. Police arrived took [sic] the report and found no reason to ticket or arrest our volunteers who were not breaking any laws. ICE never provided the police or the person being targeted with a warrant,” the update added.
ICE, which was being assisted by the FBI’s Denver office, said Leon-Deras is still on the run and called for information about his whereabouts.
“Groups like this interfere with ICE’s ability to keep communities safe,” ICE said. “If you know his whereabouts, do not approach, if seen, instead report all info to ICE at 1-866-347-2423.”
Colorado is a sanctuary jurisdiction, according to the Center for Immigration Studies, with a law on the books that bars local law enforcement from detaining wanted illegal immigrants based on ICE detainer requests unless there’s a warrant from a federal judge.
