Local officials will vote to join a lawsuit over “unconstitutional” immigration policies today
EL PASO COUNTY, Colo. (KRDO) -- El Paso County commissioners will vote today on whether to join a lawsuit against the state of Colorado, over what some are calling "unconstitutional" immigration policies.
If commissioners go through with this it would attempt to reverse laws that prohibit local law enforcement from informing U.S customs and immigration enforcement or ice, that there are undocumented immigrants in the local jail.
Our team asked a county commissioner if there was any indication that illegal immigrants were committing crimes here in El Paso County. They say there is not. We also asked the El Paso County Sheriff's office how many undocumented immigrants have been booked in the El Paso County jail, but they declined our request.
Meanwhile, El Paso County Sheriff Joe Roybal says he can not hold an immigrant even if he believes they're a flight risk. Representative Lorena Garcia, the sponsor behind the bill, says local agencies don't have enough resources.
Now if the lawsuit passes the resolution would authorize El Paso County to join a planned lawsuit with Douglas County. A spokesperson for the sheriff's office says they also plan on having a press conference about this at some point today.
