As the representative of the Denver City Council district with the highest percentage of Latinos, both native and foreign-born, I have witnessed first-hand the increased fear since the election of President Donald Trump, as well as his recent orders calling for a large-scale ramp-up in deportations.
An escalation in interior immigration enforcement would expand the focus of law enforcement well beyond people who are real threats, and would divert resources, ultimately making all Americans less safe. Law enforcement would no longer be required to distinguish between dangerous felons and an undocumented mother working to put food on the table for her U.S. citizen children. This effort would break apart families and potentially remove some of the best and brightest workers, students and members of our community.
Itap imperative that we remember there is no way for undocumented immigrants to adjust their status and get right with the law. The way to reduce the number of future undocumented immigrants starts with fixing our broken immigration system so people can come here legally. And pair this with a process where undocumented immigrants who pass a criminal background check can come out of the shadows and earn legal status. This solution would allow law enforcement to focus on real security threats and priorities — and not simply deport 11 million people nationwide.
I applaud Colorado’s congressional delegation for speaking out against the administration’s overly broad executive order. Sen. Michael Bennet spoke to how Trump’s “executive order on refugees will harm, not enhance, our national security and marks a significant departure from our nation’s proud history of welcoming people in need of protection.”
I also want to recognize how our city and state have responded to concerns surrounding immigration. The Denver City Council has taken actions to reduce the increasing fears of immigrants in our city by passing a proclamation to ensure that all Denver citizens will be heard. The City and County of Denver is committed to use our police department in a manner that establishes public safety through trust, not through fear by participating in federal immigration enforcement activities. We cannot prevent crime if our citizenry is afraid to report it.
Gov. John Hickenlooper publicly stated that he would not allow mass deportation in Colorado. Colorado State University, the University of Colorado, Colorado College, and the University of Northern Colorado, among others, joined more than 550 colleges and universities across the country in support of the roughly 18,000 Colorado DREAMers who are recipients of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. And last month, along with Sens. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., and Dick Durbin, D-Ill., and Rep. Luis V. Gutiérrez, D-Ill., Colorado Congressman Mike Coffman introduced the BRIDGE Act.
While not a permanent solution, the BRIDGE Act would provide “provisional protected presence” and employment authorization to DACA-eligible individuals, and current DACA recipients would receive the same protections until the expiration of their status; the act would also allow them to reapply prior to that expiration.
I commend leaders for taking a stance on this issue and encourage Sens. Bennet and Cory Gardner and the rest of our Colorado delegation to sign onto the BRIDGE Act, with hopes of getting it enacted prior to the repeal of DACA.
Paul Lopez is a member of the Denver City Council. He serves District 3, on Denver’s west side.
To send a letter to the editor about this article, submit or check out our for how to submit by e-mail or mail.
