Federal Agents Leave Behind "Death Cards" After Capturing Immigrants, Sparking Outrage Over Racist and Intimidating Gesture.
A disturbing trend is emerging from the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents in Colorado, who have been leaving behind customized playing cards known as "death cards" at the scene of raids. These cards feature an ace of spades symbol and contain the address and phone number of the ICE facility in nearby Aurora, prompting outrage over their racist and intimidating nature.
According to local immigrant rights group Voces Unidas, which took possession of two identical cards found in vehicles by two separate families, they were deliberately designed with this legacy in mind. The use of these playing cards bears a striking resemblance to its infamous history in the US military during the Vietnam War, where it was used as a symbol of death and intimidation.
The inclusion of an "A" over a spade in the top left and bottom right corners on each card also suggests that the agency is attempting to subtly reference President Donald Trump's initials. However, officials have thus far failed to comment on this possible connection or clarify the meaning behind these cards.
As reported by The Intercept, this is not an isolated incident, but rather part of a larger trend of intimidation and fear-mongering used by ICE agents across the US. In other incidents, immigration officers have been spotted wearing patches with symbols that have been co-opted by far-right extremist groups, further fueling concerns about the agency's increasingly authoritarian tactics.
Critics argue that such actions are not only morally reprehensible but also undermine the rule of law and erode public trust in government institutions. The use of playing cards as a symbol of intimidation is particularly concerning, as it taps into a long history of racist and xenophobic sentiment in the US.
As Voces Unidas president Alex Sánchez noted, "These are not acts of public safety. They're acts of fear and control. This is rooted in a very long history of racial violence." The organization's experience has shown that similar incidents may be happening elsewhere but remain unreported due to a lack of trust in mainstream human rights groups or local authorities.
The Intercept urges readers to support independent journalism, such as its own reporting, which continues to hold those in power accountable.
A disturbing trend is emerging from the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents in Colorado, who have been leaving behind customized playing cards known as "death cards" at the scene of raids. These cards feature an ace of spades symbol and contain the address and phone number of the ICE facility in nearby Aurora, prompting outrage over their racist and intimidating nature.
According to local immigrant rights group Voces Unidas, which took possession of two identical cards found in vehicles by two separate families, they were deliberately designed with this legacy in mind. The use of these playing cards bears a striking resemblance to its infamous history in the US military during the Vietnam War, where it was used as a symbol of death and intimidation.
The inclusion of an "A" over a spade in the top left and bottom right corners on each card also suggests that the agency is attempting to subtly reference President Donald Trump's initials. However, officials have thus far failed to comment on this possible connection or clarify the meaning behind these cards.
As reported by The Intercept, this is not an isolated incident, but rather part of a larger trend of intimidation and fear-mongering used by ICE agents across the US. In other incidents, immigration officers have been spotted wearing patches with symbols that have been co-opted by far-right extremist groups, further fueling concerns about the agency's increasingly authoritarian tactics.
Critics argue that such actions are not only morally reprehensible but also undermine the rule of law and erode public trust in government institutions. The use of playing cards as a symbol of intimidation is particularly concerning, as it taps into a long history of racist and xenophobic sentiment in the US.
As Voces Unidas president Alex Sánchez noted, "These are not acts of public safety. They're acts of fear and control. This is rooted in a very long history of racial violence." The organization's experience has shown that similar incidents may be happening elsewhere but remain unreported due to a lack of trust in mainstream human rights groups or local authorities.
The Intercept urges readers to support independent journalism, such as its own reporting, which continues to hold those in power accountable.
they're literally leaving behind death cards like it's no big deal... what's going on with these people? shouldn't they be worried about the impact of their actions on ppl's mental health? 
and btw, why would anyone design a card that looks like its from the vietnam war era and thinks that's gonna go unnoticed? 
it's just so... racist. can we talk about how messed up this is in a way that doesn't involve hate speech tho? 
These playing cards are super creepy and the fact that they're customized with an ace of spades symbol and an address/phone number for the ICE facility is just soooo disturbing. I mean, who does this kind of thing? 
And can you believe these cards even contain a possible nod to President Trump's initials?!?! That's just disgusting. I don't get why the officials aren't commenting on this stuff either... it's like they're trying to cover it up or something. 
The whole thing is just so intimidating and racist, it's giving me anxiety just thinking about it 
. We need to do more to expose this kind of behavior and hold those in power accountable! 
the fact that these cards have been used in other raids too makes it even more clear that this isnt just a one off thing but part of a larger strategy to intimidate people into compliance. we need to stand up against this and demand better from our government 
I'm so worried about what's going on with ICE agents in Colorado. Leaving "death cards" at the scene of raids? That's just messed up 
is when they try to pass it off as some kind of "legacy" or "symbolism". No, it's just plain old racism and xenophobia. We need to stand up against this kind of behavior and demand that our leaders do better. We can't let them use playing cards to intimidate people into being scared of their government 
. It's time for us to take a stand and make some noise. We need to support our immigrant communities and hold our leaders accountable for their actions. Anything less is just unacceptable 
we need more independent journalism like the intercept to hold people in power accountable for their actions. otherwise, we'll just keep living in a world where racism and xenophobia are normalized. 
. Like, who thought it was a good idea to leave a playing card with an ace of spades at the scene of an ICE raid? It's like they're trying to be all cool and edgy, but really they just come off as creepy and racist 
. And those "A"s over the spades? Oh man, that's just lazy. If they were gonna make a statement, they could've at least tried harder than that 
.
. And have you seen those patches on immigration officers' uniforms? That's some straight-up far-right vibes 
.
it's not just about the cards but what it says about our country's values - or lack of it.