DENVER (KDVR) — The American Civil Liberties Union of Colorado released a statement Tuesday evening condemning the arrest of a legal observer who was at the Denver Immigration Court on Tuesday.

The nonprofit civil rights organization said that the legal observer was "lawfully observing the detention of an immigrant family." ACLU of Colorado attorneys reportedly responded to the area after learning of the observer's detention.

"The legal observer was released but faces a citation under the code of federal regulations for attempting to bear witness to the anti-immigrant tactics of the current administration," the ACLU of Colorado said. "The immigrant father was ultimately detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement as his partner and young child watched in tears."

Legal observers, according to the National Lawyers Guild, "are the 'eyes and ears' of the legal team," and create documentation of events that can be later used in defense cases, public statements or litigation to hold law enforcement accountable.

The ACLU of Colorado said that legal observers have been present at immigration court for weeks in response to the increasing number of arrests, "disappearances and unusual behavior by government agents." The nonprofit said that it is concerned about reports that immigration agents are denying immigrants any access to legal counsel and restricting the presence of legal observers at immigration courts.

“We condemn this brazen abuse of power in the strongest terms possible," said Tim Macdonald, ACLU of Colorado legal director, in the group's announcement. "Detaining, arresting, and handcuffing legal observers reflects the aggressive and violent tactics that the government is using to try to limit due process and remove our immigrant neighbors without public awareness. These heavy-handed actions will not be tolerated. The public is entitled to know what our government is trying to do to strike fear into immigrant communities and how they are trying to do it.”

FOX31 reached out to the American Friends Service Committee for additional information about this incident. The group has been active in providing aid to immigrant communities facing forced displacement and immigration proceedings.