Bill to Support Immigrant Communities Amid ICE Overreach Moves Forward

DENVER, CO – The Senate Judiciary Committee yesterday passed legislation sponsored by Senators Mike Weissman, D-Aurora, and Iman Jodeh, D-Aurora, to support immigrant communities, improve transparency for state and local law enforcement, and increase oversight of immigration detention facilities. 

“The Trump Administration is abducting members of our community and holding them in secretive, unhealthy, and dangerous facilities. One of them is right in my district,” said Weissman. “That’s why we are taking action to improve transparency and oversight of these facilities. We all deserve the freedom to keep our families together and have due process under the law.” 

“As state legislators, we have a responsibility to do everything we can to keep our communities safe from the violent and unconstitutional overreach of ICE,” said Jodeh. “We hear all too often about death, sickness, overcrowding, and other unacceptable conditions in ICE detention facilities, but there is almost no transparency. This bill is about increasing oversight, ensuring frequent inspections, and protecting Coloradans’ personal information from ICE.”

Specifically, HB26-1276 would:

• Require reporting on conditions in immigration detention facilities through frequent and regular inspections of the health and safety of facilities, in addition to unannounced inspections.

• Strengthen laws on the sharing of personal information by state agencies and their employees. 

• Direct the Attorney General’s office to develop a policy for sharing information with federal authorities when required by federal law. The policy must include transparency requirements, such as who is requesting the personal information. 

• Require current law enforcement to receive training on Colorado’s immigration laws to ensure they enforce state laws properly.

Last year, Democratic lawmakers passed SB25-276 to strengthen existing data privacy protections and clarify constitutional protections for immigrants.

The bill now heads to the Senate Appropriations Committee for further consideration. Track its progress HERE.