05-05-2025
Colorado House passes immigration protections after DOJ sues for ‘sanctuary' policies
DENVER (KDVR) — Colorado's Democratic lawmakers are pushing ahead on immigration bills despite the U.S. Department of Justice filing a lawsuit Friday to challenge those laws.
One of those measures, SB25-276, 'Protect Civil Rights Immigration Status,' that lawmakers are pushing forward on, focuses on protecting civil rights and immigrant communities in Colorado and was passed by the House on Saturday after amendments were made. The vote was made along party lines, with Democrats in favor and Republicans opposed.
DOJ sues Colorado, Denver for so-called 'sanctuary laws'
The proposed measure includes a slew of actions that are designed to protect the civil rights of immigrants, including:
Repealing the requirement for an affidavit stating that an undocumented person has applied for lawful presence or will apply for lawful presence as soon as they are eligible when an undocumented person is applying for in-state student tuition or an identification document
Prohibiting jail custodians from delaying the release of a defendant for the purpose of an immigration enforcement operation
Extends the ability to petition a court to vacate a guilty plea to class 3 misdemeanors as classified at the time of plea if the defendant was not adequately advised of the adverse immigration consequences of a guilty plea or if the guilty plea was constitutionally infirm
Extends the prohibition on local law enforcement from enforcing a civil immigration detainer to also include peace officers
Prevents probation officers and departments from sharing personal information about a person with pretrial officers or pretrial services employees
Prevents employees of a detention facility from allowing federal immigration authorities into the non-public portions of a detention facility unless they are investigating a federal crime or as required by a federal warrant to transfer an inmate to or from federal custody
'Colorado is stronger when we all can contribute to our economy without fear,' said Rep. Elizabeth Velasco, a Democrat representing Glenwood Springs, in a Colorado House Majority Office release. 'The Trump administration's attacks on our civil liberties have sparked chaos among our immigrant communities – parents are afraid to pick up their children from daycare, workers are scared to show up to their jobs.
'This fear doesn't just hurt our families, but our entire community and Colorado's economy. We're taking steps today to strengthen Colorado laws around personal data sharing and reaffirm our existing protections to ensure due process for all, regardless of immigration status,' Velasco added.
On April 27, federal and local officials conducted a major operation at what they are calling an illegal nightclub in Colorado Springs. Officials detained over 100 people during the operation and said many had entered the U.S. without going through proper channels.
As of the time of publication, FOX31 knew of only one person facing drug charges related to the operation, but is aware of several local law enforcement agencies that aided in the operation. FOX31 has not learned of any specific immigration cases related to the raid, and the U.S. Army staff sergeant charged with drug offenses appears to be a U.S. citizen.
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'Our bill safeguards the civil and constitutional rights of everyone in Colorado,' said Rep. Lorena García, a Democrat who represents unincorporated Adams County, in a release. 'Between carrying out sweeping, untargeted deportations that have included American citizens and defying federal court orders, the Trump administration's immigration overreach has struck fear in Colorado communities. To help protect everyone, we're limiting the sharing of personal data while clarifying protections in public spaces so we all can participate in our economy and communities.'
Proponents say the measure would build on existing data privacy laws, and repeal 'outdated' affidavit requirements to obtain a Colorado driver's license or in-state tuition, which the sponsors said would 'protect data from unwarranted collection by federal agencies.'
Rep. Ty Winter, a Republican representing House District 47, posted to X that he believes this solidifies Colorado as a sanctuary state, a title Gov. Jared Polis, a Democrat, has repeatedly denied.
'Doubling down on policies like this diverts taxpayer dollars to non-citizens while turning their backs on hardworking Coloradans,' Winter wrote. 'I'll keep fighting to put public safety and our citizens first.'
Because the House passed amendments on the bill, it will return to the Senate for another vote before heading to the governor's desk for consideration to be signed into law.
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