Colorado Murder Used As 'Sanctuary City' Example For White House
AURORA, Colo. (CBS4) - The Aurora City Council held a special study session Monday evening regarding sanctuary cities.
The meeting came the same day as U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions threatened to punish cities that do not go after illegal immigrants.
Aurora council members took a look at their current policies that officials say are similar to many neighboring law enforcement agencies.
Aurora police officers, for example, do not enforce, detain, or investigate solely on a person's illegal immigration status, according to a report prepared by the city's manager.
Despite that, city officials told CBS4's Melissa Garcia that Aurora is not violating any federal laws related to immigration enforcement.
From the White House Monday, Sessions announced that cities and states providing sanctuary to illegal immigrants risk losing their grants from the Department of Justice.
"When cities and states refuse to help enforce immigration laws, our nation is less safe," Sessions said in a briefing.
Sessions referenced the February slaying of a 32-year-old man in Denver who was robbed and shot near the RTD station at 12th Place and Sheridan Boulevard.
One of two suspects, Ever Valles, 19, was released from a Denver jail two months earlier after an arrest for a different crime, despite Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) having asked for a detainer for his removal, Sessions said in the briefing.
"Countless Americans would be alive today and countless loved ones would not be grieving today if these policies of sanctuary cities were ended," Sessions said.
In the latest figure provided by the city, Denver received $175 million in federal funding in 2015.
A spokesperson for the office of Mayor Michael Hancock said that since Denver had not technically adopted any policies on being a "sanctuary city" and because the city is in full compliance with federal code, the office does not believe Denver to be at risk for losing federal funds.
The Denver spokesperson went on to say that the city does not shield violent criminals, and that ICE never issued a federal warrant or a detainer for Valles.
The spokesperson also said that Hancock's office believes that the DOJ pulling funds as threatened would be against the law.
Statement From Denver Mayor Michael Hancock's Office
The Attorney General made no announcements today different from the President's Executive Order signed on Jan 25. So, nothing changes in Denver. Here are the facts:
- Denver does not shield violent criminals.
- We do not violate any federal immigration laws.
- We will always honor federal warrants.
- We have open lines of communication with ICE so we can focus on apprehending dangerous individuals and keep our city safe.
What we heard from the AG today was simply a reiteration of threatened punitive funding action that we believe would be against the law. That's why Denver is challenging the Executive Order in court alongside 34 other cities at this time. (See information below regarding the Amicus Brief)
This "tough talk" by the federal government does not make our communities more safe. What does is a system where federal and local governments respect each other's roles and work together to close gaps and focus on dangerous people in our cities. In Denver, we are committed to this.
Regarding Ever Valles case:
For over 2 months, ICE never issued a federal warrant even though they were aware Mr. Valles was in the jail.
The AG's reference to the Valles case was incorrect. ICE never issued a "detainer" to the Sheriff Department. They had submitted a request for notification of release of the prisoner, which was provided.
Statement From Gov. John Hickenlooper
"A sanctuary city or state has no precise definition. Here in Colorado we embrace our immigrant and refugee communities, and we are committed to protecting the legal rights of all who live here. We share Sessions' priority for the safety of our communities. However, we believe this action could make our communities less safe by cutting funds to local law enforcement. We remain supportive of efforts to secure borders, which includes deporting undocumented immigrants who have committed serious crimes. This conversation is another example of the need for Congress to step up and provide comprehensive immigration reform."
Melissa Garcia has been reporting for CBS4 News since March 2014. Find her bio here, follow her on Twitter @MelissaGarciaTV, or send your story idea to mkgarcia@cbs.com.
