Rep. Lauren Boebert stirs controversy in Latino community with Halloween costume making light of ICE crackdown

John Aguilar, The Denver Post on Nov 3, 2025

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A photo of U.S. Rep. Lauren Boebert at a Halloween party has drawn criticism over the Colorado congresswoman’s Mexican-themed costume, which included a sombrero, a dress and a sign that made light of the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown.

The photo was circulated on social media over the weekend. The Republican is dressed in what appears to be a traditional Mexican outfit, of sorts, and is holding a sign with a message that uses a crass play on words invoking a stereotyped Mexican accent.

The sign reads: “Mexican Word of the Day: Juicy. Tell me if juicy ICE coming,” an apparent pun on “Tell me if you see ICE coming.” ICE is an acronym for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Standing near her in the photo is a man dressed as an ICE agent.

The costume drew condemnation from Latino advocacy groups in Colorado.

“She should be ashamed of herself,” said Stacy Suniga, the president of the Latino Coalition of Weld County. “Though I believe she is incapable of any emotion that generates human decency. Her bigotry and ignorance are clearly evident in her chosen apparel this day.”

Boebert represents a part of Weld County in the 4th Congressional District. According to the Colorado Redistricting Commission, the ruby red Eastern Plains-centered district was at least 14% or so Latino as of the 2020 census — having the lowest Latino representation among the state’s eight congressional districts. The 4th District also includes populous Douglas County.

Boebert has generated headlines before for charged commentary and personal behavior that has proven embarrassing — enough to where she apologized for her words and actions.

Not this time. When asked about the Halloween photo, Boebert said through a spokesperson that “it’s a Halloween costume.”

She did not answer several questions put to her office by The Denver Post about the photo, instead lambasting Democrats for repeatedly voting against a short-term spending bill, called a continuing resolution, that would end the federal government shutdown.

“Tell our Senators to vote for the CR and open the government,” she said. “They are choosing to let millions of American families suffer.”

Four years ago, Boebert apologized after a video circulated on X, the social media platform then known as Twitter, of her implying that Rep. Ilhan Omar, a fellow member of Congress and a Muslim, could be a suicide bomber. She also apologized for her behavior during a performance of the “Beetlejuice” musical in Denver in September 2023, when she was caught vaping, groping her date and flipping off Buell Theatre staff after they asked her to leave.

Trisha Calvarese, a Democrat who lost to Boebert last fall for the 4th District seat and is running again to represent the district in 2026, condemned the congresswoman over the weekend.

“Lauren Boebert put more effort into a hateful Halloween party costume than she ever has into serving the people of Colorado’s 4th Congressional District,” Calvarese said on X.

State Sen. Julie Gonzales, co-chair of the Colorado Democratic Latino Caucus, called on Boebert to apologize and said she “should know that our culture is not a costume and being bilingual is an asset, not a joke.”

“The Latino Caucus was made aware of the photo on Saturday and members were outraged,” Gonzales wrote to The Post on Monday. “We immediately began conversations within our caucus of how we wanted to respond. … Congresswoman Boebert chose to mock our community, co-opt our culture, and make a sick joke while immigrant Coloradans with lawful immigration status in her own district, such as fifth-grade teacher Marina Ortiz, are being detained by ICE after doing everything that has been asked of them.”

She was referring to an incident late last month in which Ortiz, who teaches at Global Village Academy in Parker, was detained along with her family during a check-in appointment at an ICE field office. The school said she had legal authorization to live and work in the United States.

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