Prominent immigrant activist's arrest reignites Denver's left

Driving the news: Hundreds of people attended a rally on Wednesday at the Auraria Campus to denounce Vizguerra's detainment, along with the arrest of pro-Palestinian activist and Columbia University alumnus Mahmoud Khalil.

• The protesters called for their immediate release.

Catch up quick: On Monday, a planned pro-immigrant march drew hundreds of attendees to downtown Denver and featured labor union and civil rights activist Dolores Huerta.

• Last month, hours after ICE conducted large-scale immigration raids in Denver and Aurora, thousands flocked to the state Capitol to protest the Trump administration.

Between the lines: The activism is meant to target an administration that appears increasingly willing to curb protest movements it doesn't agree with.

State of play: Democrats, progressives and far-left activists have mobilized this month with mass demonstrations and at congressional town halls where they've gathered to call attention to politics and policies they oppose.

Friction point: "People are just getting angry and realizing we need to do this ourselves, because they're tired of waiting for the [Democratic] party to show up," Wynn Howell, state director of Working Families Power, a progressive organization, tells us.

The intrigue: Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser, a Democrat with gubernatorial aspirations, has emerged as a powerful local adversary against Trump's policies, routinely challenging the president's actions.

What's next: Progressive titans U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders and U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez are scheduled to host a "Fighting Oligarchy" rally at Denver's Civic Center Park on Friday.

• Close to 20,000 people are expected to attend, per Denverite.