This story was produced as part of the Colorado Capitol News Alliance. It first appeared at KUNC.org
Several Colorado lawmakers are trying to create new protections for the state's immigrants in the face of hardline deportation policies under the Trump administration.
“People are scared and afraid. And I understand that, and I respect it, because I've also got a little pit of anxiety in my stomach too,” said Sen. Julie Gonzales of Denver. “We drafted a lot of this policy in response to the actual tactics that we have seen be utilized by ICE now under the second Trump administration.”
Gonzales and a group of fellow Democrats, Sen. Mike Weissman of Aurora, Rep. Lorena Garcia of Adams County and Rep. Elizabeth Velasco of Glenwood Springs, introduced the long-awaited piece of legislation Friday. It would limit local cooperation with federal immigration authorities, like Immigrations and Customs Enforcement, or ICE.
The proposal, Senate Bill 25-276, comes in the wake of federal immigration raids in the Denver metro several weeks ago and the high-profile detainment of local immigrant rights activist Jeanette Vizguerra.
The measure builds off of legislation that first established restrictions on cooperation with immigration authorities. Several laws passed over the last few years make it illegal for law enforcement within the state to arrest or detain people on behalf of federal immigration authorities and prohibited local and state governments from entering into contracts with ICE.
A big piece of the bill would block local governments from sharing personal data with ICE and other immigration authorities, unless they are presented with a valid warrant first. Another major provision would prohibit federal authorities from conducting deportation operations in buildings like hospitals, schools, places of worship and childcare centers.
Gonzales said it’s unclear whether immigration agents will comply with that provision, if it’s ultimately signed into law. The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in 2022 that states don't have the authority to to challenge federal law in regard to immigration.
“We can't control what ICE is going to do and whether they are going to break the law. We are witnessing that play out in states across the country, a trampling of due process,” Gonzales said. “What we can do is solve for how we as Colorado are going to act and how we are going to respond.”
While parts of the Democrats' bill are a direct response to the latest Trump administration, the legislation has been in the works for months since before the president took office in late January. Gonzales said that’s due to negotiations to ensure support from Gov. Jared Polis' and because she wants to make sure the bill's provisions can stand the test of time.
The sponsors also crafted it alongside several immigrant advocacy groups, including Glenwood Springs-based Voces Unidas. The group’s president, Alex Sanchez, said it’s important to make sure the measure would help immigrants across the state, not just in the Denver metro.
“We've got to ensure that Colorado values are embedded in state policy, and that every county and every local municipality understands the values in Colorado. Because the federal government may come without invitation from us, and they're going to be in our community,” Sanchez said.
Colorado's legislative Republicans generally support the Trump administration’s immigration policies and oppose efforts to undermine federal deportation actions. They tried to roll back the cooperation constraints by introducing their own legislation this year that would have allowed local law enforcement to detain or arrest people on behalf of federal immigration authorities.
But their bill was quickly killed by Democrats, who hold strong majorities across the legislature.
The state's Republicans in Washington have also strongly criticized Colorado's existing immigration laws. Three Colorado GOP members of Congress, Reps. Gabe Evans, Lauren Boebert and Jeff Crank, sent a letter to Jared Polis urging him to work for the repeal of laws limiting local and federal cooperation.
“The crisis has been fueled by misguided policies from the State Legislature in Denver over the past decade, policies which handcuff state and local police officers from cooperating with their federal counterparts to protect our communities from dangerous illegal immigrants,” the three wrote.
Senate Bill 276 will have its first legislative hearing in front of the Senate State Veterans and Military Affairs committee. If committee members vote to approve the measure, it will head to the Senate floor for consideration by the full chamber.
This story was produced by the Capitol News Alliance, a collaboration between KUNC News, Colorado Public Radio, Rocky Mountain PBS and The Colorado Sun, and shared with Rocky Mountain Community Radio and other news organizations across the state. Funding for the Alliance is provided in part by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.
