Law Enforcement

SB276 would fine deputies $50K for helping ICE—Sheriff Mikesell says enough is enough

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Teller County Sheriff Jason Mikesell is so concerned about the effects of Colorado Senate Bill #276 he appealed in a letter to Immigration and Customs Enforcement last week.

The bill, if signed by Gov. Jared Polis, prohibits law enforcement from sharing information with the federal government about illegal immigrants who have committed crimes.

At issue is the bill’s interference with Mikesell’s 287(g) agreement with ICE.

SB276 would fine deputies $50K for helping ICE—Sheriff Mikesell says enough is enough Read More »

Polis open to signing bill restricting local ICE cooperation as Colorado sanctuary debate heats up

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Gov. Jared Polis said that while he had “major problems” with an earlier proposal that sought to inoculate immigrants from federal policies, the bill now includes “workable language,” thereby signaling his intent to sign it.

The governor reiterated he is still reviewing the proposal, which underwent several changes before its final passage during the 2025 legislative session.

At its core, Senate Bill 276 reemphasized existing state law that precludes local law enforcers from detaining an individual based on an “immigration detainer.” An immigration “detainer” is a notice issued to federal, state and local law enforcement agencies informing the latter that agents intend to assume custody of an individual no longer subject to the former’s detention.

Polis open to signing bill restricting local ICE cooperation as Colorado sanctuary debate heats up Read More »

18 flagged for deportation after Colorado Springs nightclub raid, 86 remain in ICE custody

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A spokesperson with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has confirmed that 18 people who were taken into custody on April 27 as part of a major raid on an unlicensed Colorado Springs nightclub had previously been ordered to be deported.

According to the ICE spokesperson Thursday, 18 of the 104 individuals detained in the raid were “subject to a final order of removal.”

18 flagged for deportation after Colorado Springs nightclub raid, 86 remain in ICE custody Read More »

Trump prioritizes Venezuelan gang crackdown, while Colorado and other sanctuary states resist

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As millions of immigrants fleeing the economic and political chaos in Venezuela used social media to navigate the journey north, Tren de Aragua (TdA) operatives embedded in their ranks and exploited these same platforms — particularly WhatsApp — to coordinate extortion, smuggling and violence.

Trump prioritizes Venezuelan gang crackdown, while Colorado and other sanctuary states resist Read More »

Six Colorado Springs nightclubs under police investigation for years, public just finding out

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Six nightclubs around Colorado Springs have been investigated for potential illegal activity since 2022, according to Colorado Springs police.

Police said New Havana Bar and Grill off North Academy Boulevard, an unnamed after-hours club on Palmer Park Boulevard, and La Terraza on South Circle Drive were all shut down through the public nuisance process.

Police said Babilonia Bar and Grill on East Platte Avenue, Nova Nightclub on South Nevada Avenue and El Huracán on South Academy Boulevard were evicted by their property owners.

Six Colorado Springs nightclubs under police investigation for years, public just finding out Read More »

DOJ sues Colorado and Denver over sanctuary policies ‘tying hands of law enforcement’

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DENVER (KDVR) — The U.S. Department of Justice is suing the state of Colorado and the city of Denver for laws and statutes the federal government says are “sanctuary laws.”

The federal government alleges in its lawsuit, filed in Colorado District Court on Friday, that the laws are designed to “interfere with and discriminate against the Federal Government’s enforcement of federal immigration law.”

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Aurora’s 3-strike vehicle law: Nearly 1,000 off the streets as crackdown unfolds

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AURORA, Colo. (KDVR) — Aurora Police Department statistics show 920 vehicles have been impounded under the city’s new three-strikes seizure law.

Ward IV Council member Stephanie Hancock sponsored the city’s new traffic law.

“I think the concern with our constituents has been, ‘Why are there so many cars with expired tags or no license plates at all on the roads?’ It’s very likely these cars don’t have insurance,” Hancock said.

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“One pill away from death”: inside Colorado Springs’ undercover fentanyl crackdown

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(COLORADO SPRINGS) — A record number of fentanyl pills are being seized across Colorado, with local law enforcement agencies like the Colorado Springs Police Department (CSPD) crediting the success partly to their department’s ability to deploy officers undercover.

The Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Rocky Mountain Field Division announced it seized nearly 2.7 million fentanyl pills – or “fake” pills – in Colorado in 2024. This breaks the previous record set in 2023 with 2.61 million pills seized in the state.

“It is an unfortunate record to set,” said DEA RMFD Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Pullen. “We continue to work day in, day out fighting the cartels putting this poison on Colorado streets. While we have seen seizure numbers trending lower in other parts of the country, Colorado seems to be consistently at or near record highs for the number of fake pills seized.”

“One pill away from death”: inside Colorado Springs’ undercover fentanyl crackdown Read More »