Denver Mayor Orders Police To Intervene In ICE Operations If Force Deemed Excessive

By Deborah Grigsby | The Denver Gazette

Denver Mayor Mike Johnston on Thursday outlined his city’s response to immigration enforcement operations, including intervening to stop federal officers when local police observe them using “excessive” force.

Johnston also said the city will not allow federal authorities to “stand in our way” in situations where emergency responders must render first aid, presumably in cases where someone, such as a civilian, gets hurt in an immigration operation.

The mayor’s move is the latest in a string of proposals from Democrats, who have begun to position the state and jurisdictions they dominate in a more confrontational stance. The attorney general, for example, wants residents to report alleged misconduct by federal agents via an online tool. At the state Capitol, legislators are considering a proposal to allow a “cause of action” by individuals injured — presumably by federal agents — in an immigration enforcement action.

Both Denver and Colorado have long adopted “sanctuary” policies, which refer to laws or ordinances that limit or prohibit cooperation with federal immigration authorities.

What the Denver mayor outlined, however, sets a new phase in the conflict between the federal government and the city — since the new mandates, directed at city workers, are more active. That is, they require city employees, notably the police, to actively insert themselves into ongoing enforcement operations, whereas current laws prohibit cooperation.

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