Rocky Mountain Voice

Tag: Sanctuary cities

ICE raids uncover felons, gang members amid L.A. protest chaos
Approved, Fox News, National

ICE raids uncover felons, gang members amid L.A. protest chaos

By Landon Mion, Bill Melugin | Fox News Federal sources highlighted some of last week's arrests in the Los Angeles area, which included violent and drug offenders Federal immigration authorities said some of the migrants arrested in the Los Angeles area last week had criminal histories that included assault and drug offenses. Nearly 45 people were arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement on Friday alone, as officers swept through several locations, including two Home Depot stores, a store in the fashion district and a doughnut shop, prompting protests that continued through the weekend against immigration enforcement operations in which officers raided businesses to arrest workers. The weeklong tally of migrant arrests in the city surpassed 100. One man has already been ...
‘Congressional inquiry’ triggers $250K legal tab for Denver’s sanctuary city stance
Approved, Denverite, Local

‘Congressional inquiry’ triggers $250K legal tab for Denver’s sanctuary city stance

By Andrew Kenney | Denverite A high-powered Washington law firm helped Mayor Mike Johnston and the city prepare for a Congressional hearing. The legal bill is coming due for Denver's response to a congressional inquiry. The city recently received an invoice for $250,000 from Covington & Burling, the high-powered Washington law firm the city hired as it faced federal scrutiny over its immigration policies. The city has been represented by Dana Remus, who previously was the White House counsel for former president Joe Biden. The contract began Feb. 1 as Mayor Mike Johnston was preparing to testify before the Republican-led U.S. House Oversight Committee. Over the next two months, the city incurred $250,000 in legal fees with the firm, according to an invoice submitted...
Colorado Springs City Council passes third resolution rejecting sanctuary city label
Approved, denvergazette.com, Local

Colorado Springs City Council passes third resolution rejecting sanctuary city label

By Brennen Kauffman | Denver Gazette Colorado Springs is still not a "sanctuary city." The City Council drove the point home on Tuesday morning by passing a resolution affirming the stance. The resolution introduced by Councilmember Roland Rainey was along similar lines as resolutions the council passed in both February and September 2024 saying the city was not a sanctuary city. The council statements do not change any city laws or ordinances. Four new council members have joined the dais since the last version of the proclamations, including Rainey and Gold, but the outcome of the vote was along similar lines. The resolution passed 7-2 with opposition from Nancy Henjum and Kimberly Gold, who said the city should use funding to support law enforcement instead of words. ...
Denver kills camera contract over ICE fears, leaving crime-fighting tools off the table
Approved, kdvr.com, Local

Denver kills camera contract over ICE fears, leaving crime-fighting tools off the table

By Heather Willard | Fox31 DENVER (KDVR) — On May 5, the Denver City Council failed to approve a contract extension with Flock, a tech surveillance company that has been contracted to provide over 100 license plate readers around the county. The city first contracted with Flock in March 2023, with the original agreement lasting through the end of this February. The amendment would have extended the contract by another two years for $666,000. The original contract cost the city $339,450, but the cost wasn’t the main reason why council members voted no. Instead, the members cited privacy concerns, questioning who has access to the data as Denver continues to remain in the crosshairs of the Trump Administration for so-called “sanctuary laws.” Members worried that ...
DOJ sues Colorado and Denver over sanctuary policies ‘tying hands of law enforcement’
Approved, kdvr.com, National, State, Top Stories

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

By Heather Willard | Fox31 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.” The lawsuit specifically mentions the troubled Aurora apartment complexes that went viral after a video showing armed men in a stairwell was first reported on by FOX31’s Vicente Arenas. The men in the video were later connected to Tren de Aragua, a Venezuelan gang that’s been publicized during recent immigration efforts under President Donald Trump. The laws...
“Sitting on a powder keg”: Opponents slam SB25-276 for shielding illegal aliens, risking federal funds
Approved, CBS Colorado, State

“Sitting on a powder keg”: Opponents slam SB25-276 for shielding illegal aliens, risking federal funds

By Shaun Boyd | CBS News Colorado A bill aimed at protecting undocumented immigrants in Colorado has created a firestorm at the Colorado State Capitol. Supporters say it's about protecting the constitutional rights of everyone regardless of citizenship. Opponents, including Teller County Sheriff Jason Mikesell, say it would protect dangerous criminals. He says if the bill becomes law, his deputies will have to choose between enforcing state law and losing federal funding or enforcing federal law and facing thousands of dollars in fines. Mikesell says lawmakers are presenting a false narrative. "I want to dispel rumors and myths that really the legislators are presenting in testimony," he said. He says he has worked with federal immigration agents for nearly three decades and...
Trump signs executive order cracking down on ‘sanctuary’ cities, threatens their federal funding
Approved, Fox News, National

Trump signs executive order cracking down on ‘sanctuary’ cities, threatens their federal funding

By Diana Stancy , Michael Lee  | Fox News President Donald Trump signed an executive order Monday instructing the Justice Department and the Department of Homeland Security to create a list of all sanctuary cities failing to adhere to federal immigration laws, providing them a chance to abandon their sanctuary status.  The order comes as Trump seeks to speed up deportations, following through on a key promise he made on the campaign trail during his third bid for president. But so-called "sanctuary cities," or jurisdictions that limit the ability of local agencies to cooperate with federal immigration authorities, have restricted his ability to do so.  READ THE FULL STORY AT FOX NEWS
FEMA cuts $32 million from Denver’s immigrant shelter grants under Trump directive
Approved, denvergazette.com, Local, National

FEMA cuts $32 million from Denver’s immigrant shelter grants under Trump directive

The Denver Gazette The Trump administration has terminated roughly $32 million in grant funding to Denver earmarked for the city's response to the illegal immigration crisis, saying such spending no longer aligns with the federal government's enforcement priorities.  "The Department, consistent with President Trump's direction, is focused on advancing the essential mission of enforcing immigration laws and securing the border," the letter from the Federal Emergency Management Agency said.  "Consequently, grant programs that support, or have the potential to support, illegal immigration through funding illegal activities or support for illegal aliens that is not consistent with DHS's enforcement focus do not effectuate the agency's current priorities," the agency said. "T...
Cole: Denver’s dangerous dance with low cash bail and ICE detainer policies puts public safety at risk
Approved, Commentary, Local, Rocky Mountain Voice, Top Stories

Cole: Denver’s dangerous dance with low cash bail and ICE detainer policies puts public safety at risk

By Shaina Cole | Guest Commentary, Rocky Mountain Voice Denver prides itself on progressive values and compassion for its diverse communities. But recent events have exposed a troubling reality: the city’s criminal justice policies—specifically low cash bail for serious felony offenses and short notification windows for ICE detainers—are creating a revolving door for dangerous criminals, putting our neighborhoods at risk.  The case of Bayron Turcios-Murillo, a confirmed Tren de Aragua (TdA) gang member, is a stark example of how these policies fail to protect the public while allowing violent offenders to slip through the cracks. On April 17, 2025, Bayron Turcios-Murillo was arrested in Denver for felony drug charges, allegedly possessing nearly 1,000 fentanyl pills and powde...
Trump to pull all federal funding going to sanctuary cities
Approved, National, The Post Millennial

Trump to pull all federal funding going to sanctuary cities

By Katie Daviscourt | The Post Millennial President Trump announced on Thursday that he would be withholding federal funding to sanctuary cities, referring to them as a national disgrace. The move would impact Democratic-run cities across the nation, including Seattle, Chicago, Denver, Boston, New York, Los Angeles, and others. "No more Sanctuary Cities! They protect the Criminals, not the Victims," the president wrote in a post on Truth Social. "They are disgracing our Country, and are being mocked all over the World. Working on papers to withhold all Federal Funding for any City or State that allows these Death Traps to exist!!!" Sanctuary cities usually have laws that prohibit local and state law enforcement from assisting federal law enforcement with immigration enf...

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