Colorado Democrats are urging the Department of Homeland Security to scrap plans for a new ICE detention facility in rural Weld County.

Why it matters: The move is intended to pressure the Trump administration to rein in its aggressive expansion of immigration detention as public confidence in ICE sours.

State of play: A letter sent today, co-signed by U.S. Rep. Brittany Pettersen, U.S. Sens. John Hickenlooper and Michael Bennet, to Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and acting ICE director Todd Lyons outlined demands.

• Democrats say they are "deeply concerned" that the Colorado expansion will mean less oversight and accountability due to its remote location — far less accessible than the existing Aurora site, which faces its own oversight challenges.
• Lawmakers want DHS to provide details on why it chose the site and its plans to ensure access for attorneys representing inmates.

Catch up quick: Plans for a new facility roughly 30 miles northeast of Denver in Hudson call for taking over a dormant prison called the Big Horn Correctional Facility, per records obtained by the ACLU Colorado.

• The federal government hasn't shared many public details about the project.

By the numbers: ICE arrests in Denver are up 211% since Trump's second term started last January, per an analysis from University of Colorado Boulder researchers released last week.

• Meanwhile, in-custody deaths at ICE facilities reached a two-decade high last year.

What they're saying: "We have no new detention centers to announce in Hudson, Colorado at this time," a DHS spokesperson said in a statement to Axios Denver.

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Back in September, Chrisanna Elser opened her door to find a Columbine Valley police officer.

The intrigue: The officer told her that he used doorbell camera video and the Flock vehicle tracking system to identify her as the suspect who allegedly stole a $25 package from a porch.

Yes, but: She didn't do it, and the charges were later dropped.

Why it matters: Elser recounted her story to Colorado lawmakers yesterday and urged them to limit law enforcement's use of video surveillance technology so that what happened to her wouldn't happen to others.

What she's saying: "I'm not opposed to using these items for our law enforcement," she told reporters ahead of the legislative hearing. "But I am opposed [to] them being used and being misused."

State of play: Her story helped build support for a bipartisan Senate bill that would establish statewide guardrails for how law enforcement can use location-based surveillance systems.

• The legislation — "Protecting Everyone from Excessive Police Surveillance (PEEPS) Act" — would prohibit government officials from accessing the database in most cases unless they obtain a warrant.
• Another provision would block government officials from sharing surveillance information with private companies or outside entities, such as federal immigration authorities, without a valid court order.
• Other provisions limit the time a government entity can retain the data.

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The U.S. Supreme Court will hear the city of Boulder's climate change-related lawsuit against Exxon Mobil and Suncore Energy, seeking billions in damages.

Why it matters: The case could determine whether state and local climate lawsuits stay in state court or shift to federal court, where similar claims have faltered — shaping the future of comparable cases nationwide.

The latest: The justices agreed yesterday to hear the case.

• The city and county of Boulder say they are seeing "significant and rising costs" to address climate change impacts and contend oil companies alleged to have "intentionally misled the public" on the fossil fuel product's impact.

The other side: The companies argue that claims involving greenhouse gas emissions are governed by federal law and therefore belong in federal court, not state court.

The big picture: Local governments in California, Hawai'i and New Jersey have filed similar lawsuits, but Boulder's is the first of its kind to reach the U.S. Supreme Court.

• A ruling could set precedent for local governments seeking billions to help pay for rebuilding after wildfires, rising sea levels and severe storms linked to climate change.

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🚨 Denver City Council advanced a bill yesterday banning all law enforcement agencies, including federal ones, from wearing face coverings in the city. (Axios Denver)

• Yes, but: A Department of Homeland Security spokesperson told Axios last month the agency would not comply if the measure becomes law.

😳 Skier Lindsey Vonn nearly lost her left leg after crashing in the women's downhill at the Winter Olympics, she shared in an Instagram post. Her complex tibia fracture and other fractures were worse than previously known. (AP)

🏥 Colorado hospitals made about $102 million on patient care in 2024, up $11 million from 2023, a new state report shows. (Denver Post 🔑)

🍏 Gov. Jared Polis wants to flip a local tax benefiting schools to cover the state's budget deficits, a move that districts say amounts to a funding cut. (Colorado Sun)

Summit FC's will take the field next month for its inaugural game sporting a forest-green hue reminiscent of Colorado's towering pines.

The big picture: The National Women's Soccer League team yesterday unveiled its first home jersey, dubbed its "Evergreen" kit, which the club calls a love letter to Colorado.

Zoom in: The understated Nike jersey sports the team's crest on its left side.

• Additional details include striping around the neck and shirt sleeves with touches of blue, a nod to the Mile High skies, and sandstone striping representing the state's desert plains and sagebrush.

What's next: The kit is available for purchase online starting at $110.

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