6 westword.com WESTWORD FEBRUARY 5-11, 2026 | MUSIC | CAFE | CULTURE | NIGHT+DAY | NEWS | LETTERS | CONTENTS | Defy or Ally? DUELING PROPOSALS WILL DETERMINE HOW COLORADO LAW ENFORCEMENT HANDLES ICE. BY HANNAH METZGER As federal Immigration and Customs Enforce- ment offi cers deploy to American cities to carry out President Donald Trump’s mass deportation campaign, many Coloradans have risen in protest of the resulting arrests and violence. Amid marching from both sides, Colorado will decide how its local law enforcement should respond to ICE. Under a state law passed in 2019, law enforcement offi cers cannot provide an indi- vidual’s personal information to federal im- migration authorities or detain an individual solely for civil immigration violations. In 2025, another state law further strengthened the privacy protections and added a $50,000 civil fi ne for violators. But the law could soon shift in either di- rection. An initiative on the November 2026 ballot aims to roll back restrictions on ICE cooperation. Meanwhile, pending bills in the Colorado Legislature seek to strengthen the existing non-cooperation law and direct lo- cal law enforcement to arrest federal agents who act unlawfully. If passed by voters, Initiative 95 would require Colorado law enforcement agen- cies to notify the United States Department of Homeland Security when a person who is not lawfully present in the country is charged with a violent crime, or charged with any crime if the person has a prior felony conviction. “Voters want cooperation between Colo- rado and federal authorities when it comes to violent criminals,” says Michael Fields, president of the conservative advocacy group Advance Colorado, who is leading the ballot initiative. “Every major elected offi cial in the state has said that’s what we should be doing.” On the opposite end of the spectrum, an upcoming state bill would add enforcement mechanisms when a person’s information is unlawfully shared with federal immigration authorities and require that the individual be notifi ed. That bill is set to be introduced in the Colorado House later this month. “We will not give in to fascism,” says Representative Lorena García, who is spon- soring the bill. “We as legislators are joining you with solutions that can help protect Coloradans, strengthen our constitutional rights, and hold fi rm against the unlawful attacks by an unlawful agency called ICE.” A second upcoming bill would prohibit local, state and federal law enforcement offi cers from cover- ing their faces and require them to wear identifi cation. The bill would also direct local law enforcement to “detain anyone who breaks the law, including federal offi cials, until an investigation can take place,” says Representative Yara Zokaie, who is sponsoring the proposal. “They can be our partners in holding bad actors accountable,” Zokaie says of local law enforce- ment. “In these unprecedented times, when those breaking the law are federal offi cials, we fi nd it important to emphasize our law enforcement’s responsibility and jurisdiction to uphold our laws.” Zokaie says her bill would also disqualify former ICE offi cers from being certifi ed by the Peace Offi cer Standards and Training Board, so they could not work in law enforce- ment in Colorado. “Coloradans Are Fed Up” Coloradans aren’t huge fans of ICE, and the objections go beyond advocates protest- ing on the streets of Denver. A November poll by the Colorado Polling Institute found that 64 percent of respondents are concerned that ICE is detaining people who should not be detained. It also found that 54 percent of respondents believe Trump’s ef- forts to deport immigrants living in the United States illegally have gone too far. But proponents for Initiative 95 collected nearly 190,000 signatures in support of the proposal to earn it a place on the ballot. Since the measure would amend the Colorado Constitution, signatures were needed from every senate district in the state. The initia- tive will need to earn 55 percent of the vote to pass in November. “We were easily able to get signatures in every state senate district to get this on the ballot,” Fields says, speaking to the proposal’s chance of success. Notably, a report from the Colorado Times Recorder alleges that some signature gather- ers in Boulder used deceptive language to get voters to sign on in support of Initiative 95. One source claimed that a circulator said that the initiative would “stop ICE from at- tacking…nonviolent criminals.” Opponents of the initiative believe Colo- rado voters’ attitudes are shifting further against ICE. “What is happening in Minnesota abso- lutely will impact, not just in Colorado but nationally, how people see law enforcement and anyone with a badge that is representing the national government,” says Gladis Ibarra of the Colorado Immigrant Rights Coali- tion. “People want to feel safe regardless of whether they were born here or they’re a second-, third-generation Coloradan.” Ibarra argues that allowing law enforce- ment to cooperate with ICE will undermine local trust in police at a time when residents are already fearful. “Colorado has spoken many times about where we stand on police and ICE collabora- tion,” she says. “This initiative would essen- tially undo twenty years of community work, of conversations from our members with law enforcement. It’s important that regardless of immigration status, we can trust in them.” Adds Zokaie, “I think that Colorado will reject that ballot measure because they have seen what ICE is standing for: terrorizing communities, kidnapping children, murder- ing innocent civilians and citizens. Colora- dans are fed up and are not going to want our local law enforcement to comply with that.” Fields argues that ICE’s recent controver- sies, including its violent actions in Minne- sota resulting in the killings of Renee Nicole Good and Alex Pretti, will not negatively impact the results of his ballot measure. “This measure is only about giving notice to Homeland Security if it’s a violent criminal or repeat felon here illegally,” Fields says. “These people would obviously be in custody already and charged by a DA. So it’s a much different scenario.” “We Have to Do More” The dueling proposals come amid a larger legislative effort to increase protections for Colorado’s immigrant population during the 2026 legislative session. Another proposed bill, Senate Bill 26-005, would allow Coloradans harmed during an immigration enforcement encounter with federal offi cers to pursue legal action against them. The bill cleared its fi rst vote in the Senate Judiciary Committee on Monday evening, February 2. Senate Joint Resolution 26-006 calls on the federal government to reaffi rm civil rights for all, end anonymous enforcement tactics, and protect access to education, health care and civic participation. It passed the Senate on the morning of February 2 in a party-line vote of twenty to twelve. “All of us here will not stop until the rule of law is restored and there is justice for ev- ery person harmed by this administration’s abuse,” Zokaie says. In previous years, Fields’s ballot measures have resulted in compromises from Colorado legislators. In 2024, he led a pair of measures to cut property taxes and set strict growth limits that inspired Governor Jared Polis to call a special legislative session to pass more modest property tax relief. In exchange, Fields withdrew the ballot measures. Fields says he has not had any conversa- tions with lawmakers about a legislative compromise for Initiative 95. The pro-immigration legislative package was unveiled in a press conference on Febru- ary 2. During the event, a crowd of over a hun- dred people repeatedly chanted “abolish ICE” while carrying signs reading “immigrants are welcome here.” In her speech, Zokaie said her ultimate goal is to dismantle ICE entirely. “We have to do more,” said Ousman Ba of the Colorado People’s Alliance. “Because, Colorado, they’re coming here next.” Email the author at hannah.metzger@westword. com. NEWS KEEP UP ON DENVER NEWS AT WESTWORD.COM/NEWS Advocates stand in support of proposed legislation to protect immigrant communities. HANNAH METZGER
