Colorado officials escalate actions to limit ICE power
The latest: Attorney General Phil Weiser, a Democrat, on Tuesday said he's suing a Mesa County sheriff's deputy, alleging that he was working with federal immigration authorities.
The suit alleges deputy Alexander Zwinck unlawfully detained a 19-year-old woman during a June 5 traffic stop and sent her license to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, leading to her detention.
Why it matters: It's the latest local rebuke of one of Trump's signature policies, as Weiser's lawsuit underscores how local officials are not just rejecting Trump-era immigration tactics in rhetoric but working to dismantle them.
The case could put Colorado at the center of a broader national standoff over immigration authority, heightening the risk of political blowback from an administration prone to retaliation.
State of play: Colorado Democrats — and at least one Republican — are ramping up pressure on ICE amid rising scrutiny over a surge in noncriminal arrests.
U.S. Rep. Jason Crow (D-Aurora) told Axios Denver he's weighing his legal options after ICE refused to allow him inside the Denver Contract Detention Facility, in his district, on Sunday.
The Denver City Council on Monday halted additional funding for a software firm whose database has been used in ICE investigations.
Trump ally and U.S. Rep. Gabe Evans (R-Fort Lupton) is backing an immigration reform bill a month after urging ICE to deprioritize noncriminal immigrants
What they're saying:"Those who actually stand their ground, defend their positions … are the ones who are going to have a stronger leg to stand on," Weiser said about potential repercussions from the Trump administration.
On Tuesday, the White House issued a statement celebrating the increase in ICE arrests across the country, including in Colorado.
Between the lines: Weiser on Tuesday said federal immigration efforts should proceed lawfully, but Colorado law enforcement agencies should not aid their work.
Zoom in: Crow said ICE acted unlawfully last Sunday when they refused to allow him inside the facility for an unannounced congressional oversight visit.
Unlike other visits, Crow tells us, Sunday's was purposefully unannounced to get an unvarnished look at facility conditions.
The visit was prompted by a tip saying that information posted at the facility detailing detainees' legal rights had changed.
The lawmaker said he observed posters with misleading and inaccurate information in the facility's lobby.
The other side: An ICE spokesperson said Crow did not comply with a mandatory seven-day advance notice requirement — a longstanding policy the spokesperson said helps protect operations.
The advance notice requirement is unlawful, Crow told us.
Stunning stat: Trump's public approval on immigration fell to 41% in a recent poll, the lowest since his return to the White House.
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