Colorado Lawmakers Reject ICE Oversight Bill After Bipartisan Pushback

By Taylor Dolven and Olivia Prentzel | The Colorado Sun

Colorado lawmakers rejected a bill Tuesday that would have required state and local police to intervene when federal immigration agents use excessive force.

The bill would have also prohibited state and local police officers from hiding their identities, subjected federal officers to state criminal and civil penalties and required police officers to attend training on immigration enforcement.

Two Democrats — Rep. Chad Clifford of Centennial and Rep. Cecelia Espenoza of Denver — joined the Republicans on the House Judiciary Committee to kill House Bill 1275 after hours of testimony against it from police chiefs.

An original version of the bill, sponsored by Democrats Rep. Meg Froelich of Englewood, Rep. Yara Zokaie of Fort Collins, Sen. Mike Weissman of Aurora and Sen. Iman Jodeh of Aurora, would also have prevented federal immigration agents from becoming certified police officers in Colorado, although that section was watered down before the committee voted late Tuesday. 

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