Colorado Committee Advances Anti-Sanctuary Bill
The Colorado Senate Judiciary Committee passed Senate Bill (SB) 281, also known as the Colorado Citizen Protection against Sanctuary Policies Act, on Monday, to prohibit sanctuary policies that impede the enforcement of immigration law in the state. The Committee voted 3-2, party line, in support of the measure.SB 281 states that it is the policy of Colorado to ensure, to the fullest extent of the law, all state and local entities comply with federal immigration law. In accordance with federal law, SB 281 prohibits any policy that prohibits or in any way restricts, the sending, receiving, maintaining, or exchanging of immigration status information with the federal government. The measure prohibits sanctuary jurisdictions in violation of SB 281 from receiving state funding.Senator Tim Neville (R-16) and Senator Vicki Marble (R-23) sponsored SB 281. “We heard several crime victims ask lawmakers to pass the bill so dangerous criminals will not see Colorado as a ‘safe place,’” said Sen. Neville. “Senate Bill 281 will empower crime victims instead of criminals,” added Sen. Marble, “by giving crime victims standing to sue so-called sanctuary jurisdictions when the convicted criminal resided there.”The Judiciary Committee also voted to kill House Bill (HB) 1230, a sanctuary bill which would made it unlawful to cooperate with federal immigration officials.