Colorado Repeals Immigration Law Provision about Reporting Suspected Status Violations
Author: US Immigration Attorney Alena Shautsova
In 2006, Colorado passed a law requiring that law enforcement officials report people who were suspected of immigration law violations to federal authorities. At the beginning of April, 2013, the Colorado legislature repealed this immigration law provision. According to a Fox News article, testimonies from Colorado sheriffs were instrumental in obtaining the repeal. The reporting requirement created extensive work for sheriffs and duplicated the work of an already established federal program called Secure Communities. Secure Communities is a program run by ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) that cross-references the fingerprints of individuals under arrest with the federal immigration and FBI (Federal Bureau of Investigation) databases. The federal government handles the process which relieves local and state officials from having to do the work and leaves the adjudication with the federal government instead of getting state governments involved. The overlapping of state and federal jurisdiction in handling immigration matters has been a contested issue in numerous litigated immigration cases. ICE typically handles and takes over enforcement actions and maintains its priorities for removal when criminal activities and/or danger to public safety are involved.
If an arrest results in targeting you or a loved one for removal, find out how you can fight deportation by discussing your situation with a skilled New York immigration lawyer. Effective legal representation can protect your rights.