House GOP subpoenas Boulder DA in immigration fight
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
Photo illustration: Brendan Lynch/Axios. Photo: Heather Diehl/Getty Images
House Republicans escalated their months-long clash with Boulder County over local immigration policies on Wednesday, subpoenaing District Attorney Michael Dougherty for records.
Why it matters: The subpoena pulls Boulder deeper into a national fight over local limits on participation with federal immigration enforcement.
Driving the news: House Judiciary Committee Chair Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) subpoenaed Dougherty, alleging his office gives noncitizens preferential treatment to help them avoid immigration consequences and saying the DA failed to turn over documents after nearly four months of requests.
- Jordan argues the records could inform changes to federal immigration law, including the proposed Shut Down Sanctuary Policies Act of 2026.
- Fairfax County Commonwealth's attorney, Steve Descano, received a similar subpoena Wednesday.
Catch up quick: The fight began in May, when the Republican-led committee sought immigration-related records from Dougherty, Boulder County Sheriff Curtis Johnson and Boulder police Chief Stephen Redfearn, along with officials in several other states.
- None turned over the requested records by the original June 3 deadline.
- Dougherty questioned the committee's authority to demand some of the material and said some requested information wasn't tracked.
- But he said his office has "nothing to hide" and would search for records if given more time and compensation for staff costs.
- The committee sent a second demand in June, arguing that producing records for congressional oversight isn't the same thing as enforcing immigration law.
What they're saying: "Congressional Republicans are continuing the same political stunt they started months ago," Dougherty said in a statement provided to Axios Wednesday.
- He said his office prosecutes violent offenders regardless of immigration status, but victims and witnesses — particularly survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault — should be able to report crimes without fearing immigration consequences.
- "Political pressure from Washington will not change how we enforce the law or protect victims," he said.
Context: Colorado law limits how state and local agencies can assist with civil immigration enforcement, including prohibiting detention based solely on an ICE administrative detainer.
- Boulder has additional local policies, including allowing prosecutors to consider immigration consequences as one factor when resolving cases.
The big picture: The Boulder standoff comes as federal immigration enforcement expands in Colorado, with ICE arrests in the state increasing and detention capacity poised to grow.
What's next: Dougherty faces a Sept. 25 deadline to comply with the subpoena.