By: The Associated Press | Denver7
The lawsuit claimed the state and its most populous city passed “sanctuary laws” violating the Supremacy Clause of the U.S. Constitution.
DENVER (AP) — A federal judge on Tuesday threw out a U.S. Department of Justice lawsuit accusing Colorado and Denver of interfering with the enforcement of immigration laws.
The lawsuit claimed the state and its most populous city passed “sanctuary laws” violating the Supremacy Clause of the U.S. Constitution. At issue were four state laws and two Denver laws that limit the use of resources for immigration enforcement and protect the rights and personal information of immigrants.
U.S. District Judge Gordon P. Gallagher said the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in a 1997 case that the federal government can’t “dragoon” state officers into carrying out federal law. He granted requests from Colorado and Denver officials to dismiss the lawsuit, concluding that “Colorado and Denver have the right to refuse to expend their resources to implement a federal regulatory program.”
The Department of Justice didn’t immediately return an after-hours request for comment.
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