Colorado officials escalate actions to limit ICE power
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Colorado officials are intensifying their pushback against ICE, passing new measures to curb the agency's power under President Trump.
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.
What's next: Weiser's office said it's investigating whether local law enforcement officers involved in a group chat with federal law enforcement officers engaged in "a pattern or practice" breaking Colorado laws.
- Additionally, his office is monitoring whether other ICE activity in Colorado is violating state laws.