Just three weeks after Colorado was sued, Democratic Gov. Jared Polis signed a wide-ranging law expanding the state’s protections for immigrants. Among other things, it bars jails from delaying the release of inmates for immigration enforcement and allows penalties of up to $50,000 for public schools, colleges, libraries, child care centers and health care facilities that collect information about people's immigration status, with some exceptions.
Polis rejected the administration's description of Colorado as a “sanctuary state,” asserting that law officers remain “deeply committed” to working with federal authorities on criminal investigations.
“But to be clear, state and local law enforcement cannot be commandeered to enforce federal civil immigration laws,” Polis said in a bill-signing statement.