Bisbee Pride Marred by Border Patrol Detainments

Just minutes before the start of the 21st annual Bisbee Pride Parade on Saturday, Border Patrol agents detained several individuals on Main Street where the Parade took place, startling residents and visitors gathered for the celebration.

Around 9:30 a.m., attendees saw Border Patrol agents follow a vehicle and pull it over in the heart of Old Bisbee. Witnesses also reported seeing a low-flying helicopter, a nearby plane, and video captured by Jacob Brown of the Queer Center showed patrol horses in tow.

Emily Cayer, who has lived in Bisbee for 16 years, said the helicopter’s low altitude made its presence hard to ignore.

“It didn’t feel like a medical or news helicopter—it felt threatening,” Cayer said.

While residents are accustomed to Border Patrol activity closer to the U.S.-Mexico border, Cayer said it’s rare to see enforcement in Old Bisbee.

“It’s concerning at any time, but for them to be detaining people during Pride weekend definitely feels like a statement,” she said.

Colleen Pardee said she saw four people handcuffed and pressed against a vehicle. Another witness confirmed seeing two people taken into custody by Border Patrol agents.

Pardee said the scene, unfolding in the middle of Main Street, felt “right in your face.”

It remained unclear whether the individuals detained were attending Pride, or if their presence near the event was coincidental.

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As the arrests unfolded, bystanders began chanting “Shame! Shame!” in protest. Brown said the moment felt urgent—like people wanted to intervene, but everything happened too quickly.

A resident named Celia, who asked to withhold their last name, said local shopkeepers appeared just as confused. The incident, they said, left them feeling anxious, angry and hurt.

Celia felt that the "little queer art town" Bisbee has become known for was "invaded" by immigration agents.

The detainment underscored for many the reality that immigration enforcement isn’t limited to urban centers.

Alix Monty, who traveled from Tempe with their two children, said they came to Bisbee expecting a safer space for Pride. Instead, they found a display they described as intimidating.

“Apparently we’re not safe in Bisbee,” Monty said.

They said the detainment, which took place near Pride Village, felt strategic.

“It was almost like a show of force or scare tactic to intimidate us and let us know we could be next,” they said, adding that taking people without due process at one of the country’s largest rural Pride parades sends the message: "'We have the power, not you.'"

Monty said they had hoped for one weekend of peace before what they described as a rise in violence and increased government crackdowns.

“It feels like that was ruined,” they said. “It’s not personal, but it’s giving me a lot of trauma.”