Jeanette Vizguerra, a Colorado immigration advocate being held in an Aurora detention facility, has been named a winner of an annual human rights award by a nonprofit set up in the late Robert F. Kennedy’s memory.
Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights announced last week that the activist will be a recipient of its 42nd annual Human Rights Award alongside Maine Gov. Janet Mills and former U.S. Department of Justice pardon attorney Elizabeth Oyer.
However, barring any changes to her U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention, Vizguerra will be unable to attend the ceremony in Washington, D.C., on June 5. She was taken into federal custody on March 17 and has since fought ICE’s claim of a reinstated removal order in court on the premise that her First Amendment rights were allegedly violated.
“Recently, while detained in a detention center, I received the news that I had received this human rights award,” Vizguerra said in a news release issued Thursday. “I work independently, using my own resources. With these resources, although limited, I believe I have made a difference in the movement for social justice.”
Vizguerra’s attorney, Laura Lichter, didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.
Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights is a nonpartisan organization named after the former senator who served as U.S. attorney general during his brother’s presidency and was assassinated in 1968 while he ran for the Democratic nomination for president.
The organization is led by Kerry Kennedy, his daughter, who is also a human rights activist. She is the sister of Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the Health and Human Services secretary in President Donald Trump’s administration, who has ignited controversy over his vaccine skepticism and more.
Her nonprofit described the RFK Human Rights Award as an honor bestowed upon recipients who strive to further social justice in nonviolent ways. It includes a cash prize and additional support from the organization.
“As the daughter of our former attorney general, I know firsthand the necessity of protecting and preserving our democracy,” Kerry Kennedy said in a statement. “From taking a stand against unlawful executive orders and bolstering the moral strength of the Department of Justice to advocating for vulnerable immigrants, these women have chosen to stand up for their beliefs during a time when it is increasingly difficult to do so.”
Vizguerra first crossed the U.S. southern border from Mexico illegally in 1997, and she gained national attention for her advocacy after sheltering in two Denver churches to avoid deportation during Trump’s first term. She was named one of Time magazine’s 100 most influential people in the world in 2017.
“The government wants to silence my voice, but I will continue to sow rebellion until I reap freedom,” Vizguerra said. “This award is not only for me but for every person who has been involved in my life — especially my children and my immigrant community. I hope our voices are never silenced.”
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