Bill Would Require Law Enforcement Officers To Be U.S. Citizens

DENVER (CBS4) - The state Senate has passed a bill requiring all law enforcement officers in Colorado be U.S. citizens.

The federal government fined the Denver Sheriff Department $10,000 last year after it required new hires be U.S. citizens.

The Immigration and Nationality Act says cities and counties can only require citizenship if it's state law. Colorado law currently only requires officers be residents.

"Someone who is a citizen of another country; they owe their allegiance to that country, and yet law enforcement officers are required to take an oath to support and defend the constitution of the United States instead of Colorado. There is an inherent inconsistency in that," said Sen. Bob Gardner, R-Colorado Springs.

Gardner says he's aware of 25 officers in Colorado who aren't U.S. citizens.

All federal agents are required to be citizens.