DENVER — The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) is targeting three state statutes, a Denver municipal ordinance, and a mayor’s executive order in its federal lawsuit against the state of Colorado and the City and County of Denver.
The DOJ claims those laws and policies are impeding federal immigration enforcement efforts.
Politics
Trump's Department of Justice sues Colorado, Denver over 'sanctuary laws'
Nicole Cervera Loy with the Colorado Immigrant Rights Coalition said she wasn't surprised when the DOJ filed a lawsuit against Colorado and Denver.
"This is something that we have expected since the beginning of the Trump administration,” said Loy.
In its lawsuit, the DOJ alleges the laws “were enacted for the sole purpose of impeding the federal government’s ability to enforce immigration law and remove illegal aliens.” It goes on to say the laws have made federal immigration enforcement harder and endangered officers, immigrants, and the public at large.
The DOJ highlighted three Colorado laws it believes are unlawful and violate the Supremacy Clause of the U.S. Constitution.
- House Bill 19-1124 prohibits state and local law enforcement officers from arresting or detaining someone based on a federal immigration detainer request.
- Senate Bill 21-131 bans state employees from sharing people’s personal identifying information with federal immigration officials.
- House Bill 23-1100 keeps local jails from entering into contracts with federal immigration authorities to detain people.
Loy said her group pushed for those laws to protect immigrant families.
“Everyone is entitled to constitutional protections,” said Loy. “And so, I would be very concerned to see these laws being taken away.”
The DOJ is also asking the court to strike down a 2017 ordinance in Denver barring city employees from using city resources to help enforce federal immigration laws, and a 2017 mayor’s executive order establishing Denver as a welcoming city.
US Rep. Gabe Evans, who represents Colorado's 8th Congressional District, said the laws have handcuffed law enforcement and put public safety at risk.
“It's had an absolutely terrifyingly bad effect on public safety in Colorado,” said Evans.
He said he welcomes the Justice Department’s lawsuit.
“I look forward to getting a ruling that establishes whether or not Colorado has the ability to go rogue and turn its back on federal enforcement,” said Evans. “At a certain point, I would certainly hope that the leaders of Colorado would recognize the abysmal result that these policies have had on public safety and reverse course.”
A spokesperson for Gov. Jared Polis’ office declined to comment on the lawsuit's merits but said Colorado is not a sanctuary state.
“The State of Colorado works with local, state, and federal law enforcement regularly and we value our partnerships with local, county, and federal law enforcement agencies to make Colorado safer. If the courts say that any Colorado law is not valid then we will follow the ruling,” the spokesperson said.
The Denver mayor’s office provided a more forceful response in a statement to Denver7.
"Denver will not be bullied or blackmailed, least of all by an administration that has little regard for the law and even less for the truth,” the mayor’s office said. “Denver follows all laws local, state, and federal and stands ready to defend its values."
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