Trump administration sues Colorado and Denver for limiting cooperation with immigration authorities

President Donald Trump's administration intensified its offensive against so-called “sanctuary cities” by filing a lawsuit Friday against the state of Colorado and the city of Denver.

The legal action, filed in a Colorado federal court, accuses the state, the city and their leaders — Governor Jared Polis and Mayor Mike Johnston — of obstructing federal immigration operations through local laws and policies that limit cooperation with immigration authorities.

Details of the lawsuit

The lawsuit challenges several Colorado state and municipal laws that restrict cooperation with federal agencies such as Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

Among the challenged regulations is a state law that prohibits agents from arresting a person solely on a civil immigration detainer, a federal request to hold a detainee.

In addition, other state laws limit the sharing of information between local and federal officials, and prohibit local jails from housing people detained for civil immigration violations.

In Denver's case, the lawsuit targets a municipal measure that prohibits the use of city resources to support immigration enforcement, as well as a 2017 executive order issued by the then-mayor that sought to position Denver as a "safe and welcoming" city for all residents, regardless of immigration status.

The Trump administration is requesting that the court declare these laws unconstitutional and ban their enforcement, arguing that they undermine the "the supremacy of federal immigration law."

The “sanctuary city” policies, adopted by many Democratic-leaning local governments, seek to keep police departments out of immigration enforcement activities.

According to Democratic officials, these measures build the confidence of immigrant communities, allowing them to report crimes, interact with health services and access schools without fear of immigration retaliation.

However, the Trump administration and other Republican leaders argue that these policies protect criminals and pose a risk to public safety.

Governor Polis, in a statement, defended Colorado's stance, asserting that the state is not a "sanctuary" and that it regularly collaborates with law enforcement at the local, state and federal levels. “If the courts say that any Colorado law is not valid, then we will follow the ruling,” he said.

Mayor Johnston, in an interview, noted that Denver already notifies ICE when a "removable alien” is about to be released from custody, but emphasized the importance of keeping hospitals, schools and courthouses as safe spaces, out of the reach of immigration authorities.

Johnston also rejected the narrative that Denver harbors thousands of undocumented immigrants with violent criminal records, calling it a "myth."

The lawsuit is not an isolated case

The Trump administration has filed similar legal actions against Illinois and Chicago in February, and against Rochester, N.Y., last month, both still ongoing.

On Monday, President Trump signed an executive order instructing Attorney General Pam Bondi and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem to publish a list of state and local governments deemed "sanctuaries" by the administration, and to employ "all necessary legal remedies and enforcement measures” against them.

In Wisconsin, a state memo directing workers to contact an attorney if ICE agents visited their workplaces prompted a warning from border czar Tom Homan, who promised consequences.

In a recent case in Milwaukee, a judge was arrested by the FBI on obstruction of justice charges, accused of helping an undocumented immigrant leave a courthouse to avoid arrest by ICE agents.

Colorado cases

The lawsuit specifically mentions Aurora, Colo., a city that Trump has repeatedly pointed to as an example of the supposed dangers of sanctuary policies, alleging that Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua has taken control of apartment buildings.

However, Aurora officials have called these claims exaggerated. In another recent case, more than 100 people, identified by federal authorities as undocumented immigrants, were arrested in a raid on a nightclub in Colorado Springs, Colo., with the cooperation of local police.

The mayor of Colorado Springs, Yemi Mobolade, a Nigerian immigrant, backed the arrests, stating that undocumented immigrants who commit crimes should face consequences, including deportation.