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Students Help Families Outside ICE Facility

By Dominic Garcia

AURORA, Colo. (CBS4)- Chatfield High School student Sam Craig says he stood outside the Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention facility in Aurora for hours on Thursday because he just wanted to help people.

"We came out to this facility for an ICE protest about a week ago and after the protest we felt like we didn't do all we could to help," said Craig.

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He and others spent the day camped under a tent ready to help any detainee released or their friends and family who came to visit. ICE confirms that about 50 parents are being held at the GEO-run facility in Aurora.

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More than 2,000 children have been held at the various centers around the country. Now, they are to be reunited with their parents under an executive order signed by Pres. Donald Trump on Wednesday.

President Trump Signs Executive Order Ending Family Separations At Border
WASHINGTON, DC - JUNE 20: U.S. President Donald Trump displays an executive order he signed that will end the practice of separating family members who are apprehended while illegally entering the United States on June 20, 2018 in Washington, DC. The order would detain parents and children together. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images)

"We noticed families coming out that were thirsty and hungry... so we decided we'd come back out and provide what we could," said Craig.

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Sam Craig (credit: CBS)

His group passed out water, food, even clothes to those who needed supplies. They say they met a wide range of people, mothers, fathers, and their children. In the end, it wasn't just supplies they were passing out, they also wanted to share their time.

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"We were able to talk to some people as well and hear their stories and just be able to support people as they were going through this," said Craig.

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He was able to have a conversation with many of those outside of the center because he can speak Spanish. In the future, he wants to go into the field of international relations so he can help people all the time.

Dominic Garcia anchors CBS4 News at 5 p.m. and reports for CBS4 News at 10 p.m. Connect with the Denver native on Twitter @cbs4dom & on Facebook.

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