Colorado Dems call for independent probe over ICE ace of spade cards

Why it matters: Colorado Democrats — who are pushing to block DHS funding — say the tactic sought to intimidate the county's Latino population by using an emblem known as a "death card."

Between the lines: U.S. soldiers used the ace of spades as an intimidation tactic during the Vietnam War, something Voces Unidas, in a blog post Wednesday, alleged immigration authorities were attempting to replicate.

The big picture: The cards were found inside two abandoned cars belonging to ICE detainees in the Western Slope county, Alex Sanchez, president and CEO of Voces Unidas, a Glenwood Springs-based immigrant advocacy nonprofit, told Axios at the time.

What they're saying: "This behavior undermines public trust in law enforcement, raises serious civil rights concerns, and falls far short of the professional standards expected of federal agents," the letter reads.

State of play: ICE last month condemned the card's placement and said it would investigate.

• Colorado's Democratic delegation is calling for a written report detailing the findings of that probe and an independent investigation into the Denver Field Office by the DHS Office of the Inspector General.
• The cards included an address for the field office overseeing ICE activity in Eagle County, located roughly two-and-a-half hours west of Denver.
• The Democrats' letter calls for written confirmation of any disciplinary or "corrective" action stemming from the incident.

What's next: Lawmakers are requesting a response by Feb. 13.