More than 100 immigrants have been taken into custody following a federal raid at an illegal after-hours nightclub in Colorado.
Video posted online by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) showed agents announcing their presence outside the premises in Colorado Springs in the early hours of Sunday and ordering patrons to leave with their hands up.
Other clips showed dozens of people fleeing the building through its entrance after federal agents smashed a window.
Later, dozens of suspects were shown in handcuffs standing on a pavement waiting to be transported.
US President Donald Trump posted a link to the DEA video on his social media site, Truth Social, saying: “A big raid last night on some of the worst people illegally in our country – drug dealers, murderers, and other violent criminals, of all shapes and sizes.”
Jonathan Pullen, special agent in charge of the DEA’s Rocky Mountain Division, said US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) took the immigrants into custody.
Speaking at a news conference, he said: “Colorado Springs is waking up to a safer community today.”
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The city, Colorado’s second largest, lies about 70 miles south of Denver and sits at the eastern foot of the Rocky Mountains.
Mr Pullen said more than 300 law enforcement officers and officials from multiple agencies were involved in the nightclub operation, which had been under investigation for several months for alleged activities including drug trafficking, prostitution and “crimes of violence”.
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Cocaine was among the drugs found, Mr Pullen said.
He added: “When the cops showed up at the door, most of the drugs hit the floor.
An undisclosed number of guns were also reportedly seized.
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Mr Pullen estimated more than 200 people were inside the nightclub.
Among those detained were a dozen active-duty military members who either were patrons or working as armed security. Some patrons were arrested on undisclosed outstanding warrants, Mr Pullen said.
However, he did not specify the countries where the detained immigrants were from.
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During his second stint in office, Mr Trump’s unprecedented campaign of immigration enforcement has pushed the limits of executive power, and he has clashed with federal judges trying to restrain him.
His recent crackdown has included detaining more than 1,000 international college students, some of whom have seen their legal status restored, at least temporarily.
And earlier this month, a federal judge in Colorado temporarily blocked deportations of immigrants who face possible removal under the president’s invocation of an 18th century law known as the Alien Enemies Act.
