The Ivarguen Family Needs Your Help

If you attended the Denver Center for International Studies with Bri Ibarguen like I did, you might remember similar things about her as I do: her truly remarkable ability to have a gorgeous full face of makeup at 7 am; her easy laugh; how much she adores her younger brother, Mattias, and the rest of her family. One time, in 9th grade, she ran into me hopelessly trying to glue on a pair of fake eyelashes for the school musical in the first floor bathroom. Without skipping a beat, she tapped me on the shoulder. “Can I help you with that?” And she did.

On July 8th, 2025, Bri’s father, Jesus Ibarguen, was abducted at gunpoint by ICE agents on his way to work. He is currently being held at GEO Detention Center, a private, for-profit prison in Aurora, notorious for violations of due process and inmate dignity. The Ibarguen family is seeking financial support as they adjust to the loss of their household’s primary breadwinner. Donations will go towards covering rent, bills, food expenses, utilities, trauma support, attorney fees, and potential bail. From Bri:

“My father was recently detained by ICE on 07/08/2025 he was on his way to work. We had previously hired a few attorneys in hopes of doing things “the right way.” However, he received a court sentence for voluntary departure in 2019 (not optional).

We do not picture a life outside of the USA. My mother, brother, and I are US citizens. My father has been in the USA for so many years, he can no longer adapt to a life in Mexico. News media has falsely accused my father of being a gang member and involving him with auto theft during his arrest on 07/08/2025. My boyfriend and father were pulled over and given no opportunity to speak. They were held at gunpoint and thrown to the floor with full force, even though there was no attempt to resist on my dad’s and boyfriend's behalf.

We are a Family of 4. My dad, my mom, my 6-year-old brother Mattias, and myself. My parents have been together for 22 years. Our family story started in 2004 when I was born, I was an only child up until I turned 14. When Mattias was born in 2019, it was one of the happiest memorable moments in our family story.

My father arrived to the United States when he was 17 in 1997, he left Mexico in search of a better life. His home is in the US. His country of birth is now a place he no longer knows or hardly remembers. He has adapted to the English language and worked hard since day one of his arrival to the USA. My father is a hard-working man. He works 6 days a week from morning to night fixing cars. He is very dedicated to work so we as a family can meet our rent, bills, groceries etc.

My father is very attached to my little brother. He would always make time to drop him off at school and pick him up after school and then return to work. Mattias is very attached to our father as well– always asking that his dad picks him up after to school. They loved their afternoon drives to the ice cream shop.

One of our favorite memories with my father was our yearly vacations to the beach. Our 30-hour drive to Florida was by far the best vacation; driving through all the different states as a family was a vacation we will never forget. That will forever be a core memory. Life felt so free at that time.

My father’s absence started affecting me on day one. I can no longer carry on with my daily life activities the way I used to. All I keep thinking about is "when I will be able to hug my father again?" It's devastating that he’s in immigration custody and I’m free. I was an only child for 15 years before my brother was born, so my father and I have been very attached. He’s my best friend.

I worry for my 6-year-old brother because he has never gone this long without his dad. He’s crying himself to sleep and questions when his dad is going to be home. Every time there is a knock at the door, he looks towards the door with excitement, thinking it is Dad. We do not know how we are going to manage the first day of 1st grade without Dad’s presence. We know this is going to affect his mental health. How do you explain to a 6-year-old child that his father is in custody of immigration and may never see his father here in the US again? We are so afraid of breaking his tiny little heart and causing him harm.

My mom has not been able to focus on work. She is constantly crying and finding it hard to get out of bed. We feel as if life is pointless currently. Our family is incomplete. We are in need of therapy to help us through these difficult times. My mom is currently looking into FMLA to take care of her mental health so she can be more supportive of me and my brother. My father’s detention is also causing financial stress; he brought in most of the income to our home. We will shortly start struggling to meet rent, bills, food expenses, utilities. We also need to gather money for attorney fees and possible bail money.”

This is not the first time that the DCIS community has watched one of our families be torn apart, and it will not be the last. If I learned one thing from my time at DCIS, it is that we show up for each other in times of crisis. Our school may no longer exist as we expected it to, but I have immense faith in our ability to support an alum who needs us. We encourage you to share this fundraiser as far as possible, and give whatever you can to support the Ibarguen family! Donations under $5 can be sent to @Brianna-Ivarguen on Venmo or $breezebriii on CashApp.