Rocky Mountain Voice

Tag: Immigration Policy

The Rorschach republic: The MLK test for a divided nation
Rocky Mountain Voice, Approved, Commentary, National, Think Again USA

The Rorschach republic: The MLK test for a divided nation

By Melanie Sturm | Commentary, Think Again USA Substack From ICE to Epstein to gender medicine, we keep seeing what we want in the ink blots. See if you pass the MLK Test. Same ink blot. Different realities. Do you pass the MLK Test? We are living through a Rorschach moment. We look at the same ink blots — the border, Epstein, gender medicine — and swear we’re seeing opposite realities. I was reminded of that recently when I found myself seated next to a gentleman at a luncheon. We discovered easy common ground: he grew up in Indiana, I grew up in Nebraska. We traded a few jokes about Hoosiers and Huskers swapping basketball and football fortunes. Then the conversation turned to Indiana’s former fiery basketball coach Bobby Knight, whom he idolized growin...
Texas Democrat says President Trump’s State of the Union changed her vote
USA Today, Approved, Commentary, National

Texas Democrat says President Trump’s State of the Union changed her vote

By Joni Werner | Commentary, USA TODAY I believe Trump has only the best interests of the U.S. at the core of all his decisions. I do believe the changes he has made are working. Democrats should offer him more support. I watched President Donald Trump's entire 2026 State of the Union speech. And I loved it! Watching it made me more likely to vote in the midterm elections. This was the first time I wasn't bored and actually agreed with everything he had to say. I appreciate his businessman's approach to the economy and tariffs. I loved that he celebrated the people directly affected by his policy changes and celebrated the economy wins by putting America first. I am disappointed in all the elected leaders who refused to celebrate th...
High Court Declines Sovereign Immunity Shortcut For Private Prison Firm In Colorado Case
DENVER7, Approved, State

High Court Declines Sovereign Immunity Shortcut For Private Prison Firm In Colorado Case

By The Associated Press | Denver7 WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court on Wednesday ruled against a private prison company facing a lawsuit alleging immigration detainees were forced to work and paid only $1 a day in Colorado. The unanimous ruling is a procedural defeat for the GEO Group, but it's not a final decision. The company is fighting a lawsuit from 2014 alleging detainees in Aurora had to perform unpaid janitorial work and other jobs for little pay to supplement meager meals. GEO defended its practices and argued that the case should be tossed out because it's immune from lawsuits as a government contractor. READ THE FULL ARTICLE AT DENVER7
The Right champions citizens first. The Left fumes at the idea.
The Federalist, Approved, Commentary, National

The Right champions citizens first. The Left fumes at the idea.

By Elle Purnell | Commentary, The Federalist At Tuesday’s State of the Union, Democrats set themselves up as angry foils to basic civics and feel-good American patriotism. In the most made-for-TV of many made-for-TV moments in Tuesday night’s State of the Union address, President Donald Trump urged every member of Congress to “stand up and show your support” for the statement: “The first duty of the American government is to protect American citizens, not illegal aliens.” Cameras panned to show nearly the entire left-hand side of the chamber awkwardly remaining in their seats. After two minutes of Republican cheering and Democrat scowling, Trump suggested that Democrats should “be ashamed of yourselves,” and the cameras showed Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Mogadishu, shouting an...
Running on the American Dream: Inside Joshi’s Senate Campaign
Rocky Mountain Voice, State, Top Stories

Running on the American Dream: Inside Joshi’s Senate Campaign

By Shaina Cole | Contributing Writer, Rocky Mountain Voice Dr. Janak Joshi is back on the campaign trail — this time seeking the Republican nomination for U.S. Senate. The physician and former state legislator is entering Colorado’s caucus process, which begins March 3, ahead of district and state assemblies and the June primary. When asked why he entered the race, his answer centered less on political ambition and more on concern — about affordability, opportunity and what kind of country future generations will inherit. “I am running for US Senate because we are seeing that the Democrats, and particularly the liberals, haven't done much in the last five years to help in any way to Colorado and as a country.” He spoke about rising costs, businesses closing and ...
Bill Opening Door To Lawsuits Against Immigration Officials Clears Colorado Senate
kdvr.com, Approved, State

Bill Opening Door To Lawsuits Against Immigration Officials Clears Colorado Senate

By Jacob Factor | KDVR DENVER (KDVR) — A Colorado bill that would open the door for lawsuits against immigration officials who injure people in the state passed the Colorado Senate Tuesday morning, moving one step closer to becoming law. Senate Bill 26-005, “Rights Violation in Immigration Enforcement Remedy,” states that it is meant to protect Coloradans constitutional rights during civil immigration enforcement. The bill comes amid heavily scrutinized federal immigration operations throughout the U.S., including a recently ended crackdown in Minnesota in which immigration officials killed two American citizens and injured more. SB26-005 creates a cause of action for people injured during civil immigration enforcement actions “by another person who, whether ...
Senate Fails to Advance DHS Funding Amid Partisan Divide Over Immigration Enforcement
CBS News, Approved, National

Senate Fails to Advance DHS Funding Amid Partisan Divide Over Immigration Enforcement

By Kaia Hubbard | CBS News Washington — The Senate failed to advance a measure to fund the Department of Homeland Security on Tuesday, 11 days into a partial government shutdown with no apparent end in sight.  In a 50 to 45 vote, the measure fell short of the 60-vote threshold needed to move forward. The vote marked a second attempt to advance the measure and came after lawmakers returned to Washington following a weeklong recess without a deal to reform federal immigration agencies.  Congress' failure to reach an agreement on how to fund DHS prompted a funding lapse for the department, which also oversees the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the Transportation Security Administration and the Coast Guard. The major sticking point has been o...
They Would Not Stand for Americans
Rocky Mountain Voice, Commentary, National, Top Stories

They Would Not Stand for Americans

By C. J. Garbo | Guest Commentary, Rocky Mountain Voice During the State of the Union, Donald Trump issued a clear and direct statement. “If you agree with this statement, then stand up and show your support: The first duty of the American government is to protect American citizens, not illegal immigrants.” Every Republican in the chamber stood. Not one Democrat did. https://twitter.com/TheRMVoice/status/2026479858017276192 That moment was not theater. It was a stress test. And it revealed something deeply troubling about the state of the Democratic Party at the highest levels of government. Protection of citizens is not a partisan concept. It is the foundational obligation of any legitimate government. The Constitution exists to secure the bless...
Denver Mayor Johnston Claims Sanctuary Policies Boost Safety As Federal Lawsuits Advance
The Denver Gazette, Approved, Local

Denver Mayor Johnston Claims Sanctuary Policies Boost Safety As Federal Lawsuits Advance

By Deborah Grigsby | The Denver Gazette Denver has joined some 140 cities, counties and elected officials in filing two amicus briefs backing Minnesota and Rochester, New York — jurisdictions sued by the Trump administration’s over their “sanctuary” policies. In a statement, Denver Mayor Mike Johnston characterized the White House’s actions as “defunding” and “punishing” America’s “sanctuary cities.” The Trump administration, meanwhile, said sanctuary jurisdictions have stood in the way of enforcing immigration laws. Johnston’s office described Minnesota and Rochester as “cities that, like Denver, are fighting back against the White House’s baseless attempts to rewrite local and state law in violation of the U.S. Constitution.” An amicus brief – or friend...
California, Colorado, Illinois, and Minnesota File Suit Over Federal Health Cuts
CBS News, Approved, National

California, Colorado, Illinois, and Minnesota File Suit Over Federal Health Cuts

By The Associated Press | CBS News Four Democratic-led states that have become frequent targets of President Donald Trump sued Wednesday to try to block his administration from cutting off hundreds of millions in public health grants. The Department of Health and Human Services told Congress on Monday that it planned to withhold about $600 million in grant funding allocated to the four states: California, Colorado, Illinois and Minnesota. Their attorneys general argue the cuts are backlash for the states' opposition to Trump's immigration crackdown. The lawsuit says the cuts violate the Constitution by imposing retroactive conditions on funding and asks a federal court in Illinois to block them from taking effect. Some grants could be terminated as soon as Thurs...