BY BOB FUSELIER
Los Alamos

As a chaplain who has worked with local law enforcement, I was troubled recently by
the findings outlined in a story written by Marshall Zelinger of 9NEWS out of Denver.
The article was about the testimony given under oath to Congress by acting ICE director
Todd Lyons. In addition to highlighting parts of his testimony, the article brought to light
facts that directly contradicted Director Lyons’ sworn testimony.

In that testimony, Lyons accused, without evidence, local law enforcement agencies
around Aurora, Colorado of leaking information about an immigration raid. That raid was
to happen there on February 5, 2025 at an apartment complex that was reported to be
home to members of the Tren De Aragua gang.

Lyons stated under oath, “We tried to work with the state and local government, they
made notifications that the operation was ongoing, so when tactical teams arrived,
protesters were already there and the apartment complex was empty”. What he failed to
mention was that, in January of that year, a judge, at the request of the city of Aurora,
had ordered the apartment complex to be vacated no later than Feb 18, 2025.
No person, no institution, is perfect. Mistakes can be and are made by everyone.
However, whether it is a deliberate act to mislead or a decision not to be truthfully
informed, the decision to misrepresent facts in sworn testimony is not a mistake; it is a
choice that speaks to the character of the person testifying.

The leader of any organization sets the tone for that organization. A good and honest
leader gathers facts and tells the truth when speaking, whether or not he/she is under
oath. When a director of a federal agency misleads our Congress and blames others for
his agency’s mission failures, what can we expect the agency’s employees, in this case
ICE officers, to do? How can the public have trust in them and in what they do? How
can we expect that the lack of trust and respect for a federal law enforcement agency
won’t trickle down to our local law enforcement agencies, adding to the stress and strain
of those who serve us in our communities.

I’m sure that the local law enforcement agencies that serve Aurora have worked hard to
gain the trust and respect of the people they serve. Trust and respect are vital for any
law enforcement agency if they hope to safely and effectively serve the community they
represent. What local law enforcement agencies do not need is the head of a federal
law enforcement agency falsely accusing them of leaking details of one of their raids
and blaming them for its failure. This federal agency my not care about trust and
respect, but those who serve our community in law enforcement depend upon it.