Sanctuary Cities in Colorado and the Sanctuary City of Denver

The United States has the most generous immigration policy in the world, allowing approximately one million legal immigrants into our country every year. In addition, approximately 3 million illegal aliens sneak into our country every year (Time Magazine, September 20, 2004).

However, many cities have implemented sanctuary policies which call for city employees - including police officers - not to report illegal aliens to the federal authorities. Many sanctuary cities, in contrast to the wishes of most Americans, also offer public services and benefits to illegal aliens that impose great fiscal and social costs on the taxpayers. Sanctuary cities are illegal, made so by federal legislation enacted in 1996.^* While the federal government has abdicated its responsibility to enforce that law, legal action is now being pursued against some sanctuary cities.

Colorado has several sanctuary cities.

* Recognizing the adoption of sanctuary policies as a growing impediment to combating the wave of illegal aliens residing in the country, Congress adopted measures in 1996 that barred local ordinances that prohibited employees from providing information on illegal aliens to federal officials. The law says, "Notwithstanding any other provision of Federal, State or local law, a Federal, State, or local government entity or official may not prohibit or in any way restrict any government entity or official from sending to or receiving ... information regarding the citizenship or immigration status, lawful or unlawful, of any individual." - § 434 of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 (PRWORA), and § 642 of the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 (IIRIRA).

See CAIRCO's May, 2005 Press conference and protest of Denver sanctuary policy.