This story was first published at Colorado Newsline.
DENVER | Colorado and Denver officials pushed back Tuesday against U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi’s pressure for them to cooperate with deportation efforts after Bondi sent a letter to several so-called sanctuary states, cities and counties last week.
The state and Denver both received the letter, the officials confirmed. In the letter sent to Denver Mayor Mike Johnston, which Newsline obtained, Bondi said “your jurisdiction has been identified as one that engages in sanctuary policies and practices that thwart federal immigration enforcement to the detriment of the interests of the United States. This ends now.”
Bondi sent the letter on Aug. 13, and requested answers from the recipients by Tuesday. She demanded the recipients confirm their “commitment to complying with federal law” and identify “the immediate initiatives” they are taking to “eliminate laws, policies and practices that impede federal immigration enforcement.”
Gov. Jared Polis and Acting Denver City Attorney Katie McLoughlin responded on Tuesday, but neither agreed to change any laws or policies, based on letters obtained by Newsline. Both Denver and Colorado have laws that limit certain types of cooperation between local or state officials and federal immigration authorities for non-criminal matters.
“Colorado has and will continue to comply with federal law,” Polis said in his response letter. “Colorado, like many states, will not allow the federal government to commandeer our public safety resources, and our right to do so is protected by the Tenth Amendment of the Constitution. We do not find any conflict between state and federal law in this matter …”
Polis said that “Colorado is not a sanctuary state,” and added that the state “fully cooperates with federal authorities in identifying, apprehending, and prosecuting criminals — regardless of immigration status.”
The Trump administration, which has pursued mass deportations, has faced setbacks in its attempts to force more local cooperation with immigration arrests, including a court reversal on July 25, when a federal judge dismissed a sanctuary policies case against Illinois, Chicago and Cook County.
The state and local policies reflect a “decision to not participate in enforcing civil immigration law — a decision protected by the Tenth Amendment,” Judge Lindsay Jenkins wrote in an order now under appeal.
The Justice Department on Aug. 5 released a list of jurisdictions it deems sanctuaries, including 12 states, the District of Columbia, four counties and 18 cities. Denver and Colorado are on the list, and both jurisdictions face federal lawsuits challenging their immigration-related policies.
“Denver is not going to be bullied,” said Jordan Fuja, a spokesperson with the Denver mayor’s office. “Not by the Trump administration, not by anyone. We have always followed the law and will continue fighting to protect the rights of residents, as well as the federal funding they are entitled to as taxpayers.”
Yes, lets just raise the Confederate flag over the state Capitol.
The U.S. Constitution and the Supremacy clause contained therein don’t apply if the Governor and our state AG says so.
BTW tiny South Carolina lost 18,000 soldiers in the Civil War because state leadership believed this.
It appears that there is nothing that our hardened left- wing Democrat politicians will not risk or forgo to protect their illegal aliens. They are willing to risk the loss of Federal funding, jobs for Coloradans, and even the safety of our citizens, all to protect illegals who should not be here. Well, it appears that they value their illegals far more than the Democrat voters who elected them. And all this while we are having to cut staffing and important projects and initiatives throughout the State. Still want to vote Democrat?
Polis and Mayor Howdy Doody probably shouldn’t be running their yaps after the massive TdA criminal bust in Aurora that just got completed, the same thing their side insisted wasn’t actually happening. Even Coffman had to drop the act after the gunman videos came out. They really have no credibility when they insist that they cooperate on federal law related to criminal matters.
It’s quite apparent to me that Colorado and Denver will get nothing from the Federal government but lawsuits for the next 3.5 years for taking this strong stance against the Donald. Keep fighting and he will just send more lawyers at us, at every new step.
This has been a proven Federal Presidential tactic since Nixon. Sic the DOJ, courts and Grand Juries to tie up any other governmental agency. It’s so simple yet so many don’t get it. Keep fighting them if you wish but as you progress, check how many new lawyers are hired by the Feds.
Best bet is to lay low, say little and wait him out until he is gone. Alas, the far left outspoken politicians are not that bright. Time will tell.
You go, Johnson and Polis! Tell crabby ol’ bag Bondi to blow it out of her barracks bag. We have a humanitarian way of dealing with migrants and it does not include NAZI tactics! Not now, not ever! We believe that we benefit far more than Trump thinks from immigration!
Yes, we realize your side thinks anyone who doesn’t follow your dumb political theology is a Nazi. Which is why you lied that there were no Venezuelan gang members in Aurora and the Denver metro.
Oopsie! Oopsie doodle!
Anyone that disagrees with a liberal is now a Nazi? There is a difference between a migrant and an illegal alien.
“Polis said that “Colorado is not a sanctuary state,” and added that the state “fully cooperates with federal authorities in identifying, apprehending, and prosecuting criminals — regardless of immigration status.” Really, we know that’s a lie. We know that Colorado punishes any state or law enforcement officer if they notify the Feds they made contact with illegals. The AG is suing a Mesa County deputy for just talking with the feds about someone’s immigration. https://coloradosun.com/2025/07/30/caroline-dias-goncalves-mesa-county-deputy-discipline/ The deputy has filed a counter-lawsuit against Gov. Jared Polis and Attorney General Phil Weiser.
We watched this March in a 6-hour DC oversight committee hearing, Denver Mayor Johnston seriously lawyered up to help him prepare for it. A couple million dollars spent for the mayors DC tune up to create some illusion Denver is not a sanctuary city. Never would he admit Denver is a “sanctuary city” but conceded after facing so many logical questions Denver was a “welcoming city” That’s rich!
The Trump administration did not make the immigration law, but he is no nonsense about going forward to enforce the existing laws.
The experts like Polis, Crow, Johnston… oh-oh it is so wrong – we are opposed.