Colorado Law Enforcement Agencies Defend Decision To Not Aid ICE
By Stan Bush
DENVER (CBS4) - Colorado law enforcement agencies and cities are defending their decision to not aid federal agents looking to deport undocumented residents who have been charged or convicted with a crime.
"We must resist divided actions of so few to dictate how we define the thousands who have come to the U.S. to Colorado to build a life here," said Denver Mayor Michael Hancock.
RELATED: Denver Mayor Hancock Declares Tuesday 'Immigration Day Of Action'
On Monday, Homeland Security acting on orders from President Donald Trump, issued what is expected to be weekly reports of cases where local agencies have not helped agents with Immigration Customs Enforcement apprehend targeted individuals. The list of 206 cases include 11 in Colorado.
Critics say the weekly letters are intended to shame cities Trump considers "sanctuary cities" into helping with deportations. As a candidate, Trump promised to raise "a great deportation force" and threatened to strip federal funding to cities that did not cooperate.
"We as local law enforcement officers have no jurisdiction over immigration status, so it makes no difference to us," said Boulder County Undersheriff Tommy Sloan.
The Boulder County Sheriff's Office says local agencies do not have the constitutional authority to assist in immigration detentions. ICE has, in many cases, written a detainer memo requesting assistance instead of filing arrest warrants.
"The courts have made it very clear that we cannot accept administrative detainers. It's a violation of civil rights," said Sloan. "We're given authority to enforce the constitution. We're not authorized to enforce immigration law."
Stan Bush is a general assignment reporter at CBS4. His stories can be seen on CBS4 News at 10. Read his bio and follow him on Twitter @StanBushTV.
