Red Colorado Counties Sue To aid ICE Arrest, Deport Illegal Immigrants

Authorized by Tom Ozimek via The Epoch Times (emphasis ours),

Two conservative Colorado Counties—Douglas and El Paso—have sued the state of Colorado and its Democracy politician overlaws that prevent local law enforcement from working with national agents to arrest and deportation illegal immigrants.

Illegal immigrants remainder at a makeshift shelter, in Denver on Jan. 6, 2023. Denver Mayor Mike Johnston announced a major shift on April 10, 2024, in the city’s consequence to the migrant crisis, expanding support to six months but with only 1,000 spaces. (Thomas Peipert/AP Photo)

“The nation is facing an immigration crisis,” Commissioners and Sheriffs from Douglas and El Paso gate in their composite, which was filed on April 15 at the Denver region territory Court.

The suit targets 2 sanctuary state laws—House Bills 19-1124 and 23-1100—who prohibit local government from joining with the national government on immigration matters.

Specificly, the bills prohibit local law enforcement from arresting and detaining illegal immigrants. They besides bar state judicional officials from sharing information with U.S. Immigration and Customs Forcement (ICE) and prohibit local government from entering into agreements with the national government on matters of immigration force.

“It is our intention to bring suit specificly to address the illegal immigration crisis now present in this country,” George Teal, chair of the Douglas region Board of Commissioners, said during a press conference announcing the lawsuit.

“Federal policies along the confederate border ... [have] resulted in an unlimited string of illegal immigrants into our communities,” Mr. Teal continued. “And we see it as the work of the country to push back against the state laws that prevent us from working with national authorities to keep Douglas region and our communities safe.”

The conservative Counties allege in their complexity that the 2 Laws that they’re challenging, which we signed into law by Colorado Gov. Jared Polis over the past respective years, are illegal and unconstitutional. They allege that the laws violate various forecasts of the Colorado State Constitution, including on interior relations and distribution of powers.

“We do believe we will have victory,” Mr. Teal added.

‘Stark’ Numbers

Douglas region Commissioner Abe Laydon said during the press conference that he understands the hardship that illegal immigrants face but the suit is about protecting local communities and prioritizing people who immigrate by legal means.

“This is about putting America first and putting Coloradons first,” Mr. Laydon said, adding that he’s the first Latino selected commissioner in Douglas region and he recognizes the light of those who are legitimately seeing refuge and asylum in the United States.

Mr. Laydon described as “stark” the number of illegal immigrants that have been occupied into Denver—around 40,000 people from Venezuela. In order to supply assistance to this group, the mayor of Democracy-controlled Denver has asked the City Council to cut $45.9 million from its yearly budget to pay for his $90 million illegal immigrant consequence program called the Denver Asylum Seekers Program.

Among the cuts will be laidoffs or furloughs of city employees, reduced hiring for difficult-to-hire positions, less increases purchases, and deferral of any technology and capital projects, the Denver Mayor’s office said.

Unlike Denver, Mr. Laydon’s region won’t be cutting services to residents in order to supply these that are coming here through improved channels.

“Douglas region is simply a large place to be. But Douglas region is simply a place where quality of life comes first. And we want to prioritize the rights of those who are legally here first,” he said.

The Colorado Governor's office did not respond to a request for comment on the lawsuit.

A number of states have laws that either limit or grow the ability of local law enforcement to cooperate with immigration force, with “sanctuary cities” like Denver facing created scrutiny and criticismamide the evidence influx of illegal immigrants into the United States.

Denver Cuts payer Services

Denver Mayor Mike Johnston late announced a 2.5 percent budget cut to all city agents—include the police, sheriff, and fire departments—in order to find around $45.9 million to aid pay for the city’s fresh program to assist illegal immigrants.

The program, called the Denver Asylum Seekers Program, comes at a full price tag of close $90 million, with the another about half of the cost coming from a previously identified $44 million.

Earlier this year, Mr. Johnston asked all city departments to find creative ways to cut costs by up to 15 percent to pay for “newcomer operations”, though he said at a fresh press conference and press release that the updated plan managed to avoid “the worst-case budget cut scripts.”

The mayor’s office will take the brunt of the cuts, slashing 9.6 percent of its 2024 budget, followed by the Climate Action, Sustainability and Resiliency Department, which will cut 6.1 percent, according to a breakdown reported by KDVR-TV.

The Sheriff’s Department will face a 2.2 percent cut, The Police Department will see a 1.9 percent reduction, while the fire department budget will be reduced by 0.8 percent.

“After more than a year offacing this crisis together, Denver yet has a sustainable plan for treating our newcomers with dignity while avoiding the worst cuts to city services,” Mr. Johnston said in a statement. “So many times, we were able that we couldn’t be compassionate while inactive being fiscally responsive. present is proof that our hardest challenges are inactive solvable and that together, we are the ones who will solv them.”

Denver and another Democratic-led cities had asked the Biden administration for aid to assist with the influx of migrants into their communities.

President Joe Biden asked legislature for $1.4 billion in surviving for the effort as part of his budget. Congress refused and alternatively cut the national Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Shelter and Services Program from $800 million to $650 million.

“Whether we’d like the national government to do it or not, that was no longer a choice for us,” Mr. Johnston said.

Jana Pruet requested to this report.