Exclusive: Republicans pen letter urging Polis to reconsider immigration laws
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Three Republicans in Colorado's congressional delegation want Democratic Gov. Jared Polis to take action after his comments backing the deportation of some immigrants, according to a letter shared exclusively with Axios Denver.
State of play: U.S. Reps. Lauren Boebert, Jeff Crank and Gabe Evans sent a letter last week to the governor after he endorsed parts of President Trump's deportation plan in his State of the State on Jan. 9.
- The members of Congress asked Polis whether he would consider repealing three state immigration laws.
Why it matters: The move signals Republicans are using their newfound majority and expanded congressional power to try to influence state policy about a national security matter.
- It will test Polis' willingness to act on his words.
Reality check: It's unlikely the Democratic majority in the Colorado Legislature would consider reversing course on those laws, since many lawmakers have vowed to fight Trump's immigration policies.
Between the lines: Trump previously said he would begin mass deportations in Aurora, an undertaking that will likely clog immigration courts for years to come.
Driving the news: The letter asks whether Polis intends to increase cooperation between local law enforcement and U.S. immigration authorities after he said he "welcomed" federal help to detain and deport "criminals" in the country unlawfully.
- State law currently bans local law enforcement from arresting people solely on their immigration status, which is among the laws the Republican delegation wants Polis to revisit.
- A law prohibiting sharing certain personal information with federal immigration authorities and another restricting local governments from detaining people on federal immigration authorities' behalf are also referenced.
What they're saying: "These laws hamper and often outright prevent public safety investigations from being opened," the letter signed by the three U.S. representatives reads.
The other side: Polis spokesperson Ally Sullivan told Axios Denver the governor's office "will review the letter."