Colorado’s immigration folly: Taxpayer dollars fueling a broken system

By Rep. Ken DeGraaf | Guest Commentary, Rocky Mountain Voice

As the state representative from House District 22 in Colorado Springs, I see daily how federal immigration enforcement and state policies affect families in El Paso County. President Trump’s 2024 reelection brought a secured southern border after the Biden era’s chaos, when 8 to 11 million people entered illegally—the largest surge in U.S. history. 

That influx overwhelmed communities nationwide, including Colorado. While federal policy now prioritizes removing criminal aliens, Colorado Democrats have enacted legislation that rewards illegal immigration with generous taxpayer-funded benefits, all while ignoring the burden on law-abiding citizens.

Deportation data from 1993 to 2022 show enforcement is bipartisan. Clinton’s administration deported roughly 858,300 people, 41.6% with criminal records. 

Bush’s total reached 2 million, 35.8% criminals. Obama oversaw over 3 million deportations—43.5% criminals—more than 50% higher than Bush. 

Trump’s first term saw 1.2 million removals, 46.3% criminals, the highest share among recent presidents. 

Biden’s partial record through 2022 shows only 194,500 deportations. 

Trump’s current term has accelerated removals, focusing on violent offenders to enhance public safety.

Yet ICE agents have faced unprecedented hostility since 2025, with assaults ranging from verbal abuse to physical attacks and attempted murder. Reports document a sharp increase—some analyses cite a 1,000% rise—driven by inflammatory rhetoric. 

Minnesota Governor Tim Walz called ICE “Trump’s modern-day Gestapo.” This reflects “Trump Derangement Syndrome,” where opposition to the president leads people to reject policies they once supported. 

Obama earned the “Deporter-in-Chief” label for record removals yet faced far less backlash. 

Trump’s emphasis on criminals—removing threats to protect communities—should be commended, not vilified.

In Colorado, with an estimated 175,000 illegal immigrants as of 2025, federal progress is undermined by state policies that foster dependency rather than self-reliance. 

Democrats claim compassion, but true compassion is voluntary—people freely giving their own time and money to help others. 

There is charitable giving, but there is no such thing as charitable taking. Legislating money from one pocket to another is not cheerful giving; it is unethical taxtraction. Too often, these forced transfers funnel more dollars into administrative overhead, middlemen, and special-interest nonprofits than into the hands of the truly needy or the mouths of the hungry.

Democrats redefine compassion as confiscation: taking from hardworking taxpayers to fund benefits for those who bypassed legal channels. Genuine compassion considers long-term outcomes. 

Does mass migration benefit newcomers or citizens if it creates generational welfare dependence? 

Somali immigrants in Minnesota offer a sobering example: 73% on Medicaid, 81% receiving welfare, and 78% still on welfare after a decade. These figures raise serious questions about assimilation and self-sufficiency.

Educational outcomes in Colorado further illustrate the challenge. On the 2025 CMAS tests, overall student performance ranged from 25% to 49% meeting or exceeding expectations in English, math, and science across grades 3–11. Asian and White students scored highest, often 50–66%. Black and Hispanic students averaged 10–35%. Low-income students (free/reduced lunch eligible) performed at 12–30%. 

Migrant and limited English proficiency students consistently lagged far behind, with success rates frequently below 10%—sometimes as low as 0.4% or 2.9% in certain subjects. Despite $197 million in state funding for English learners and at-risk students, these groups struggle dramatically. When millions arrive rapidly, society cannot provide the intensive support needed for successful integration.

Since Governor Jared Polis took office in 2019, Colorado’s cost of living has risen 25.9%, with energy prices up over 40%. 

Yet lawmakers have extended substantial benefits to illegal immigrants. A hypothetical Denver-area family of four—parents here illegally, one U.S.-born child, household income around $59,475—could receive nearly $48,000 annually in state benefits and refundable tax credits. 

This includes public school funding, heavily subsidized childcare, health insurance subsidies, the Colorado Earned Income Tax Credit, family affordability credits, careworker tax credits, energy assistance, SNAP benefits, and housing vouchers. 

These perks demonstrate how generous the state has become toward those who entered unlawfully, all paid for by Colorado taxpayers.

Legislation since 2019 reveals a clear pattern. HB25-1234 prohibits asking about immigration status for utility assistance, potentially granting months of free service. 

HB24-1280 creates taxpayer-funded grants for nonprofits to help recent migrants navigate state services. 

SB20-215 subsidizes health insurance for thousands of illegal immigrants. 

Other bills extend Medicaid-like coverage to unauthorized pregnant women and children, drop lawful presence requirements for driver’s licenses and professional credentials, create deportation defense funds, and boost refundable tax credits available regardless of status.

These policies ignore the robust legal immigration system under the Immigration and Nationality Act, which issues over a million green cards annually, allows unlimited family reunification for immediate relatives, sets refugee quotas, and provides Temporary Protected Status, DACA, and humanitarian parole. 

There are legal pathways—yet Colorado rewards those who bypass them.

The costs are real. Denver spent tens of millions on migrant support, schools absorbed tens of thousands in extra expenses, and healthcare costs climbed sharply. Nationwide, illegal immigration drives billions in emergency care and welfare spending.

True compassion demands honest integration, not handouts that strain budgets and hinder self-sufficiency. Colorado’s approach rewards lawbreaking, burdens families, and erodes the rule of law. 

As your representative, I will continue fighting to secure our borders, enforce our laws, and reserve limited public resources for citizens and legal residents. It’s time to put Coloradans first and demand real accountability from Denver.

Rep. Ken DeGraaf represents House District 22 in northeast Colorado Springs and has served in the Colorado House since 2023. He’s a 27-year U.S. Air Force veteran and pilot, a graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy and holds a master’s in structural dynamics from Columbia University.

Editor’s note: Opinions expressed in commentary pieces are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the management of the Rocky Mountain Voice, but even so we support the constitutional right of the author to express those opinions.