DENVER — On the heels of protests that erupted across the nation related to federal immigration enforcement in Minnesota, Colorado Democrats announced legislation they contend will protect civil rights.
On Monday, Democratic lawmakers from both the State Senate and House of Representatives rallied alongside community members and stakeholders to unveil a new package of bills that are intertwined with immigration in America.
The new bills have not been introduced yet, but legislators said they will increase "accountability" and "transparency" through the enforcement of violations when personal information is unlawfully shared, require reporting on the demographics of immigration detention centers, and enact protections from deportation when an individual is traveling to or from places like a school or courthouse.
"We are addressing gaps and loopholes that have been existing, that are harming our communities. Like when people's information is being requested with subpoenas and they don't even know that this is happening. We want transparency. We want to make sure that people know that there's a request for their information," said State Rep. Elizabeth Velasco, D-District 57. "We also want to hold detention centers accountable when our community members don't have access to water, food, or even comfortable temperatures — when it's too hot or too cold. We're also hearing of abuses of children, of women, of people in detention centers, and it is not allowed."
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State Rep.e Yara Zokaie, D-District 52, explained an upcoming bill centered upon law enforcement and how "they can be our partners in holding bad actors accountable."
"This bill will focus on law enforcement clearly identifying themselves, and yes, that means not wearing masks and concealing their face," Zokaie told the crowd. "It will also state that law enforcement are to detain anyone who breaks the law, including federal officials, until an investigation can take place, and that is current law... Finally, this bill states that former ICE officials are disqualified from being POST-certified and from holding certain positions within the state, and that includes employment in law enforcement."
One of the speakers at the press conference was Ousman Ba, who immigrated to America when he was six years old from Senegal in West Africa.
"For all of us that think about this American Dream — that we come here for a better life, better opportunities — and now we are fearful just stepping out of our doors, even being in our own homes because we don't know who is going to be knocking at that door," Ba told Denver7. "There's so many immigrants like myself whose stories need to be heard, and right now their voices are threatened, and they might not be able to be here."
Another bill discussed at the news conference that has been introduced is Senate Bill 26-005, which advocates said would essentially give an individual injured during civil immigration enforcement a path for legal recourse.
"It basically says, where you have rights, you have to have a remedy if the rights are violated," said one of the Prime Sponsors of SB26-005, State Sen. Mike Weissman, D-District 28. "People may not believe it, but right now, if a federal officer, say, violates improper search and seizure or excessively uses force, or violates your due process rights under the Fifth Amendment, you don't have a clear cut remedy to go to court and be compensated for harms that you have suffered in our country... The government makes the laws. That's what we do in buildings like this, but the government and its agents have to follow the law, too. That's what Senate Bill 5 is about."
Weissman explained that if SB26-005 became law, an individual hurt during immigration enforcement actions could retain a lawyer and file a case in Colorado court.
According to Weissman, SB26-005 was being put together late last year, before the national spotlight was thrust onto Minnesota.
"We had seen enough going on in Colorado and in our country to know that that was important. Then the tragedies, the killings by government officials of innocent people in Minnesota only underscored the need for government officials to be held accountable if they violate people's rights, up to and including wrongful death," Weissman said.
During the 2025 legislative session, Weissman alongside fellow SB26-005 Prime Sponsor State Sen. Julie Gonzales, D-District 34, worked to pass legislation that aimed to prevent the violation of civil rights based on immigration status.
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SB26-005 advanced out of the Senate Judiciary Committee on Monday afternoon, after a 5-2 vote along party lines. Approximately 60 people signed up to testify during the hearing, which lasted more than three hours.
Opponents spoke to lawmakers during the hearing, with one person calling the bill "confusing" and going on to say that this is not safeguarding the immigrant community but discouraging law enforcement from doing their job.
Legislators were accused of political grandstanding by those opposed to the bill, who called it a way to "score points" against the federal government.
State Senator John Carson, R-District 30, explained his 'no' vote to the committee and his constituents. Carson said he does not doubt the bill is "well-intentioned," but said the federal immigration officers are simply enforcing the law.
Carson's colleague on the committee, State Sen. Lynda Zamora Wilson, R-District 9, also voted against advancing the bill. She told the crowd she feared it would cause a "chilling effect" in both state and federal law enforcement agents.
Meanwhile, State Senator Nick Hinrichsen, D-District 3, said this was the "easiest 'yes' vote I've ever taken."
SB26-005 heads to the Senate Appropriations Committee next.
