Colorado Springs residents say city’s reaffirmation of non-‘sanctuary’ status is ‘political grandstanding’

Breeanna Jent [email protected]

Sep 24, 2024

Residents on Tuesday criticized a second resolution reaffirming that Colorado Springs is not a “sanctuary city” for migrants crossing U.S. borders as divisive, hateful and an example of political grandstanding.

Though the resolution is symbolic and not legally binding, it sends a strong message that migrants are not welcome, opponents said.

“This body continues to take damaging, bigoted actions unfounded in reality as nothing more than shallow political grandstanding with yet another immigrant anti-sanctuary city resolution,” resident Jax Armendariz Unzueta told the City Council. 

She was one of seven people who spoke against the document Tuesday. No residents spoke in support.

The council voted 7-2, with Councilwomen Yolanda Avila and Nancy Henjum opposed, to pass a second symbolic resolution stating Colorado Springs “is not and will not become a sanctuary city.”

The resolution — approved seven months after council passed an initial controversial non-sanctuary city resolution in February — calls on the federal government to better address immigration.

Among other promises, it pledges not to “encourage migrants without legal status” to come to Colorado Springs, but to “handle all contingencies with compassion and respect.” As proposed by Councilman Dave Donelson and further amended by the council, it too calls on Gov. Jared Polis and the state legislature to “repeal legislation that has negatively impacted our state and law enforcement.”

The resolution refers to two state bills passed in 2019 and 2023 that prohibit local law enforcement, including the El Paso County sheriff, from arresting or detaining individuals based on a civil immigration detainer.

The laws also prohibit probation officers from providing migrants’ identifying information to federal authorities, and ended the ability for local law enforcement to enter into agreements with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to detain individuals in their jails.

“Anyone who breaks Colorado’s laws can expect to be prosecuted, and Colorado police at the local and state level coordinate and cooperate regularly with federal law enforcement on criminal matters, including (U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement),” Polis spokeswoman Shelby Wieman said in an emailed statement Tuesday. “The governor is focused on ensuring our law enforcement resources go toward fighting actual crimes to help make Coloradans safer.”

The council did not support three separate motions from Donelson to include additional clauses in the resolution.

Donelson proposed calling on Colorado Springs to consider joining an ongoing lawsuit from El Paso and other Colorado counties against the state for some of its immigration laws. He wanted to call on the city to explore joining other Front Range governments in a potential lawsuit against Denver for its “sanctuary city” status and the impacts it has had on other Colorado communities. Donelson also proposed calling for the “remigration or deportation of all” undocumented migrants in the country.

Councilman Brian Risley, who sponsored the resolution, said the document only addresses migrants without legal status, not “law-abiding immigrants who came to the U.S. through the proper channels.” 

In an interview with The Gazette Friday, Risley said he brought forth the resolution because of recent reported Venezuelan gang activity in Aurora that some officials in that city have said has “significantly impacted” apartment complexes there.

Aurora Mayor Mike Coffman and Councilmember Danielle Jurinsky this month maintained the gang issue is localized and limited to a few areas.

“In my opinion, this is not about perpetuating fearmongering or stoking speculation about what might be happening in our community,” Risley said Tuesday, recognizing the cultural vibrancy and diversity migrants bring to the U.S. “… This is about getting ahead of the lawlessness that other communities have faced.”

Colorado Springs police spokesman Ira Cronin said in an email this week local police are aware of the Venezuelan gang activity in Aurora and are monitoring the situation.

Locally, the Colorado Springs Police Department has not seen any violent crime tied to Venezuelan gangs in Colorado Springs, has not made any arrests related to Venezuelan gang activity, and no known Venezuelan gang members are currently in custody, Cronin said.

Annette Leyva, a regional organizer at the Colorado Immigrant Rights Coalition, said migrants crossing the border are real people trying to get to safety. Immigrants also live and work in Colorado Springs, she said.

“You saying that you don’t welcome migrants in Colorado Springs is not just talking about some imaginary group of immigrants. You’re talking to the 48,338, or 6.7%, of Colorado Springs (residents) who are immigrants, and then the even larger amount who are the kids, the coworkers, the friends and families of these immigrants,” Leyva said.

Before voting in favor of the resolution, Councilman David Leinweber said he believes immigrants are the strength of the country but believed Colorado Springs needed “to make it clear that we’re concerned … because we’ve seen other communities have to deal with this illegal population.”

Councilwoman Yolanda Avila said Tuesday’s resolution was “fearmongering at its best.”

“It’s symbolic, but it’s showing … that we believe a certain segment of the population is not worthy — in fact, they’re dangerous,” Avila said. 

This article was originally published by the Denver Gazette.