One of Colorado’s biggest counties is taking on the state’s “unconstitutional” sanctuary law after it was used to crack down on a sheriff’s deputy who helped federal immigration authorities.
The Board of Mesa County Commissioners is moving forward with its lawsuit against a Democrat-led sanctuary law that prohibits local law enforcement in Colorado from sharing personal information about a foreign national with federal immigration authorities, the Daily Caller News Foundation confirmed. The lawsuit was filed after state officials sued a Mesa County sheriff’s deputy for helping Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and effectively forced him out of the job.
“The Constitution makes clear that immigration is a federal responsibility, not something to be fractured by a patchwork of conflicting state laws,” Mesa County Commissioner Bobbie Daniel said to the DCNF. “Our counter suit is about defending that principle, protecting our deputies, and ensuring that Mesa County — and every county in Colorado — can uphold the rule of law.”
The outcome of the sanctuary battle in Colorado — one of the many sanctuary jurisdictions targeted by the Trump administration — could carry national implications.
Colorado Democrats in May passed SB 25-276, a bill that prohibits sheriff’s offices and police departments from sharing foreign national’s identifying information with ICE for purposes of assisting in investigations or enforcement matters. Colorado Republicans — a minority in the state legislature — vehemently protested its passage, arguing it incentivizes illegal immigration and risks public safety.
