Thousands of protesters gathered in front of the state Capitol on Wednesday afternoon in the wake of immigration raids in metro Denver and following a slew of orders coming from President Donald Trump, who is seeking to immediately implement his campaign promises, including cracking down on a transnational gang operating in Colorado.    

The protest shut down traffic coming northbound on Lincoln Street for a couple of minutes, before the protesters moved to the west steps of the Capitol building.

By 3:45 p.m., both directions of Colfax Avenue were closed as far west as at least Interstate 25 near Empower Field at Mile High and Meow Wolf. Cars began driving along the west end of Colfax around 4:10 p.m.

Protesters held signs that read, “It’s time to heal the nation now!” “No human is illegal” and “MAGA: Mexicans Aren’t Going Anywhere.” The latter is a play on Trump’s campaign slogan, “Make American Great Again.”

At least 50 Mexican flags were visible.

On Wednesday morning, agents with the Rocky Mountain Field Division of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration had conducted a raid at Cedar Run Apartments in Denver, targeting “wanted drug traffickers.”

An unknown number of individuals were detained and arrested.

Sasha, who did not give her last name, said she traveled from Colorado Springs to attend the protest.  

“I’m actually a foster parent and the government sent out a notification to foster agencies saying they’re expecting an influx of children impacted by ICE, so I’ve been spreading the word and trying to let other people know that they could open their homes to these kids that are impacted,” she said. 

Sarah, a former teacher with Denver Public Schools, said she is grateful for DPS’s policies prohibiting ICE activity on school property. 

Her husband is an immigrant from El Salvador, she said, and she has seen many of her former students from immigrant families grow up and become leaders in their communities.

“They’ve become such an integral part of society, taking them away just doesn’t make sense,” she said. 

Sarah didn’t say what the legal status is of her husband or her former students. 

On Monday, nearly 100 people also marched around the capitol, chanting “Sí, se puede” which translates loosely to “Yes, you can.”

Some protesters disrupted traffic along Colfax Avenue and 17th Street. A number of cars sporting Mexican flags honked and drove around the busy downtown area Wednesday afternoon.

Many protesters carried the Mexico flag and protested in Spanish.

“My grandpa, he came here illegally to give his family a better future. I’m protesting for all the families,” said Brianna Ordaz. “We know what it is to have the fear of your dad not coming home, or your mom, your grandpa, you know. We’re here to protest — protest for them.”

Typically, illegal immigration is a border issue, but, two years ago, the crisis began spilling into interior states, such as Colorado, Illinois and New York.

In the two years since a busload of immigrants were dropped off in downtown Denver, the Mile High City has welcomed nearly 43,000 immigrants at a cost to local taxpayers of about $80 million.

Plane, bus and train tickets purchased for immigrants to travel to their final destination suggest that about half have stayed, Denver officials have said.

Denver Gazette videographer Tom Hellauer, and Colorado Politics reporter Marissa Ventrelli contributed to this story.