6 westword.com WESTWORD FEBRUARY 12-18, 2026 | MUSIC | CAFE | CULTURE | NIGHT+DAY | NEWS | LETTERS | CONTENTS | The Heat Is On HOW COLORADO LEADERS ARE PUSHING BACK AGAINST ICE. BY BENNITO L. KELT Y The country has been watching the upheaval in Minneapolis since President Donald Trump sent thousands of federal immigra- tion agents to that city as part of Operation Metro Surge, a large-scale crackdown that started in December. During the operation, activist Renee Good and Alex Pretti, who both have Colorado ties, were shot and killed by federal agents, sparking outcries nationwide. Communities across Colorado have pushed back against the violence and other aggressive actions by Immigration and Cus- toms Enforcement and Border Patrol agents with protests, strikes and marches -- but will local law enforcement and elected lead- ers protect them if (or more likely, when) ICE arrives in force for a large immigration crackdown? From proposed laws by state lawmakers and Denver City Council to lawsuits against the Trump administration, here’s what Colorado has done so far to stand up to the White House’s immigration policies and enforcement. Police Intervention The deaths of both Pretti and Good hap- pened in broad daylight, in the middle of the street, and were fi lmed from multiple angles. Good was driving away when she was shot, and Pretti was wrestled to the ground by mul- tiple offi cers before being shot. The public na- ture of the deaths, captured on video, inspired Coloradans to ask what local law enforcement offi cers would do in similar situations. Denver Police Chief Ron Thomas recently told the Denver Gazette that his offi cers would step in and intervene if ICE or other federal agents were using excessive force. “If we see a federal offi cer who we believe is using excessive force, then I think our expectation is to intervene in that situation,” Thomas said. “Of course, we would step in and intervene if the act is so outrageous and compelling to the conscience,” says Aurora Police Chief Todd Chamberlain in the written statement. “It is not just the law or our policy. It goes beyond tactics and what is right or wrong and comes down to morals. If our offi ces witness an egregious or excessive use of force, they will not only step in, but will also report that use of force to their supervisors, just like they would if it involved any other offi cer.” On January 30, the United States De- partment of Justice announced it would investigate Pretti’s death as a possible civil rights violation. So far, it hasn’t made any plans to do so in Good’s case. Mask Bans ICE agents are known to cover their faces. Critics argue that this allows them to skirt accountability, hides impostors and intimidates people exercising their rights. Denver City Council started considering a mask ban on January 12, when council- members Shontel Lewis and Flor Alvidrez presented the idea to the Budget and Policy Committee. However, no councilmember has brought up a formal proposal since then. Some councilmembers said they were doubtful that local police offi cers would be able to easily arrest or unmask federal ICE agents if a ban were passed. Councilwoman Amanda Sandoval, whose central Denver district was the site one of the fi rst large ICE operations in Denver, suggested that that having DPD offi cers at a raid to arrest masked agents might create a more chaotic scene, adding that “DPD’s presence would have made things worse” at previous raids. State lawmakers are considering intro- ducing their own measures. At a February 2 press conference, Democratic Representa- tive Yara Zokaie said that a mask ban would be proposed in the Colorado Legislature, alongside other bills meant to keep ICE in check. Lawsuits Against the White House Since Trump returned to offi ce in January 2025, Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser has sued his administration fi fty times. A handful of the lawsuits are in response to attempts by the Trump administration to pressure Colorado to assist with immigra- tion enforcement. Such pressure has come in the form of withholding federal funding for transportation, disaster relief and crime- victim grants. Other Colorado lawsuits are attempting to protect immigrant medicaid data and access to safety-net programs. Federal judges have issued preliminary injunctions to protect immigrant data and some of Colorado’s federal funding, and the Trump administration has lost lawsuits fi led for crime victims and disaster funding, as well. Congressmen Jason Crow and Joe Neguse sued the Trump administration in July after they were denied access to the Aurora ICE detention center. They won the lawsuit in December, but were again denied entry in January. On February 6, they reported show- ing up at the Aurora center unannounced and successfully touring the ICE facility. The City of Denver has fi led fi ve lawsuits and joined three others against Trump; most of them involve immigration issues or federal funding withheld for refusing to cooperate with ICE. Last year, the city was able to claw back federal transportation, airport and large-scale security funds that were frozen because of Denver’s so-called sanctuary policies or the city’s laws limiting cooperation with ICE. On January 22, the City of Denver fi led a supportive brief in a lawsuit fi led by the State of Minnesota two weeks earlier to stop Operation Metro Surge. On January 31, a federal judge ruled against an injunction to halt the enforcement operation. Sanctuary Schools Denver Public Schools, the largest school district in the state, could soon consider a policy to limit teachers from cooperating with immigration agents and restrict school security and police offi cers from putting students at risk of deportation. The DPS school board hasn’t formally introduced the proposed policy, but a draft was posted online February 5. At a meeting that day, boardmembers said that they would like to give the public and themselves more time to consider the policy, some of them hadn’t even read it. Although ICE once had a policy that re- stricted agents from arresting peope at sensi- tive areas like churches, courts and schools, that was lifted on January 21, 2025, shortly after Trump took offi ce. The proposed DPS policy would make Denver school campuses, transportation, bus stops and events “sensi- tive locations.” DPS isn’t the only major Colorado school district to take steps to protect immigrant students. On January 16, 2025, the Adams 12 Five Star Schools adopted a resolution promising to protect immigrant students and to not ask anyone’s immigration status. On January 22, 2025, Aurora Public Schools updated district guidelines to re- quire ICE agents to wait outside or at a front offi ce while their warrants are verifi ed, and to not give agents any student’s records or other information without a subpoena or court order. According to APS policy, staff is also supposed to note an agent’s name and badge number if they come to a school, and “if the immigration offi cer is argumentative or disruptive, the principal may place the school on a hold,” which means clearing the hallways while classes continue. Jefferson County Public Schools passed a resolution in February 2025 declaring that federal immigration law enforcement activities “harmfully disrupt the learning environment to which all students, regard- less of immigration status, are entitled.” Resolutions and Denunciations On January 12, Aurora City Council passed a resolution denouncing ICE for Good’s death and the violence in Minne- apolis. About fi fty people spoke before the vote, urging the council to pass the resolu- tion; other residents emailed their support. The resolution stated that “ICE extrajudi- cially killed Renee Nicole Good,” and called the ICE detention center in Aurora “a stain on our city, where 20 percent of residents are born outside the U.S.” On February 4, state Senate and House leaders signed a joint resolution calling on the federal government to “refrain from civil immi- gration enforcement actions in or near court- houses, schools, health clinics, faith spaces, food distribution sites and civic gatherings.” The resolution also asks the federal govern- ment to “advocate for modernized, humane federal immigration reform,” and for Congress to “pursue reforms,” among other steps. In January, Democratic lawmakers intro- duced Senate Bill 26-005, which would give Coloradans the power to sue federal agents if they’re injured during civil immigration en- forcement. On February 2, the bill passed its fi rst vote in the Senate Judiciary committee. Email the author at [email protected]. NEWS KEEP UP ON DENVER NEWS AT WESTWORD.COM/NEWS Denver Police Chief Ron Thomas and Mayor Mike Johnston have been vocally critical of ICE’s enforcement and recruitment tactics in the past. BENNITO L. KELT Y
