Trump's Immigration Actions Trigger Backlash In Colorado
DENVER (CBS4) - President Donald Trump campaigned as a hardliner on illegal immigration and is following through, but his actions are triggering a backlash in Colorado.
Trump signed an executive order Wednesday making good on his signature campaign promise.
"The Secretary of Homeland Security working with myself and my staff will begin immediate construction of a border wall," he said.
Financing for the wall remains unresolved.
The president also signed executive orders adding more detention centers and withholding federal grants for so-called Sanctuary Cities that harbor people here illegally.
Denver, Aurora and Boulder could be among the cities to potentially lose millions of dollars.
Denver's mayor says the city has always complied with federal immigration laws.
"What Denver will not support is taking unlawful or unconstitutional actions on behalf of our federal law enforcement," said Mayor Michael Hancock.
So far it's not clear how Trump's administration will determine what a Sanctuary City is.
State lawmakers and Coloradans impacted by Trump's orders rallied at the state capitol on Wednesday.
"We are not going to let Donald Trump demonize immigrant communities. We are not going to let him win," one speaker told the crowd.
Bianca Acosta is among the more than 700,000 immigrants that benefited from former President Barack Obama's order protecting children brought to the United States illegally. Trump has promised to overturn that and reinstate a program that allows police to stop anyone suspected of being in the country illegally.
"It's unbelievable," Acosta told CBS4 at the rally. "Just imagine how many families that are part of the community for years now are going back to living with fear. Fear of driving to work, taking your kids to school."
The president also took an executive action restricting the flow of refugees and Muslims from countries that harbor terrorists.
"The president has talked extensively about extreme vetting," White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer said.
"How can you close the doors to the people that need it the most," Acosta said.
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The following is Mayor Michael Hancock's complete statement released by his office on Wednesday in response to Trump's executive orders on immigration.
Denver, and cities across the country, have continually looked to and asked for Washington to act on comprehensive immigration reform. Unfortunately, that's not what we saw today. Instead, communities and families will now be penalized for the Federal Government's failure to act. The Executive Orders signed today put our economic security as a nation at risk, and I am deeply disappointed.
We are a proud nation of immigrants and Denver's number one priority is the safety, health and wellbeing of everyone who lives in our city. That is why we will not support taking unlawful or unconstitutional actions on behalf of our federal law enforcement, while continuing to comply with federal immigration laws.
We have a history of being a city of opportunity for everyone, and we have every intention to maintain our character. This is about what is best for the residents of Denver, and I will remain steadfast in doing everything I can to protect our people – immigrants or not – and protect their rights.
