Colorado Immigration Bill Killed In State Legislature

A more moderate bill looking to toughen illegal immigration enforcement in Colorado has been killed in committee.

Senate Bill 54, sponsored by Republican Kent Lambert of Colorado Springs, would have allowed local law enforcement officers to "arrest a person without a warrant if the officer has probable cause to believe that the person is an [illegal] alien."

The GOP positioned the bill as a moderate option, because it only "allowed," but did require officers to arrest suspected illegal immigrants. A similar bill, introduced in the House by Rep. Randy Baumgardner, would have required arrests of suspected illegal immigrants. That bill was killed this week by its sponsor, who cited the likelihood that it would mire the state in a costly lawsuit.

Both Baumgardner and Lambert were part of a group of Colorado Republicans who traveled to Arizona to talk with legislators there about how to implement immigration reform legislation. Last may, the Arizona legislature captured the nation's attention when it passed strict immigration enforcement laws. Parts of Arizona's law, which most closely resembled Baumgardner's legislation, were subsequently struck down by a U.S. District Judge.

Lambert downplayed connections to the Arizona when they were raised at the hearing on Wednesday, and insisted that the bill did not amount to "a racial profiling authorization" as its critics suggested.

All three Democrats on the Senate State, Veteran and Military Affairs committee voted against the bill, while both Republicans votes in favor of it.

READ THE BILL:

054_01

Comments

[Sandra Salvatore]

05:19 AM on 02/27/2011

If you’re interested in learning more about where your wrangling vacation might be spent we suggest you contact the Colorado Dude and Guest Ranch

http://www.liveincolorado.com/

[Philimanjaro]

05:24 PM on 02/20/2011

Does something need to be done to curb illegal immigration? Probably.

But I disapprove of any measures that contribute to the expanding police state. The concepts of officer discretion and probable cause are already plagued by criticism and grey lines regardless of immigration- so why inflate it?

[spytheweb]

04:44 AM on 02/21/2011

So let's just stop enforcing any laws and see what happens?

[Philimanjaro]

10:59 AM on 02/21/2011

How do you draw that conclusion?

My point is that if you give the officer power to arrest anyone they "assume" to be an illegal, then you give the officer significantly more power to abuse. That is not say, however, that I am somehow anti-police or that I think all cops are bad cops.

If you cant prove that someone is illegal- then thats a different story and should be dealt with no differently than any other legal infringement. I know that the big argument is that "illegals aren't citizens therefor are not subject to our legal rights, so its ok", but legal citizens WILL be harassed under such a law.

[RobietheCat]

05:46 PM on 04/01/2011

Yet your approval of illegal immigration, and the invasion of this countries by tens of millions of illegal foreign nationals, expands the police state.

You are witnessing it.

[Viper1st]

11:33 AM on 02/18/2011

Colorado Bills passed in July, 2006 ~ Page 1 of 3

Below is a summary of bills passed by both houses. On July 31, 2006, Colorado Governor Owens signed these bills.

HB 1001 - Employers must demonstrate they don't have illegal alien workers in order to qualify for state economic-development grants, loans and incentives. Effective on or after October 1, 2006.

HB 1002 - State health officials must treat all persons, regardless of immigration status, in the event of an epidemic or communicable-disease outbreak. Effective immediately.

HB 1009 - Colorado will deny state business permits and professional licenses to illegal aliens. Effective January 1, 2007.

HB 1014 - The Colorado attorney general must seek reimbursement from the federal government for all illegal-immigration costs incurred by the state. Effective immediately.

[Viper1st]

11:32 AM on 02/18/2011

Colorado Bills passed in July, 2006 ~ Page 1(a) of 3

Below is a summary of bills passed by both houses. On July 31, 2006, Colorado Governor Owens signed these bills

HB 1015 - A person who pays someone for services and reports the payment on IRS form 1099-MISC must withhold state income taxes at the rate of 4.63 percent if the worker fails to provide a correct taxpayer ID number or provides an IRS-issued taxpayer ID number issued for nonresident immigrants. Main provision is effective January 1, 2008.

HB 1017 - Requires employers to attest that employees are legally in the country and that the employer has not altered or falsified the employee's ID documents. It requires employers to maintain copies of identification for new employees and authorizes random inspections. This bill is a good foundation toward necessary employer sanctions against hiring illegal aliens, but it does not mandate use of the federal Basic Pilot program to verify immigration status. Employers must comply starting January 1, 2007.

HB (House Bill) 1023 - The most important reform bill to come out of the session. This bill limits state services to illegal aliens and embodies the essence of the DCN initiative and is similar to section 9 of the strong Georgia bill passed in 2006.

[Viper1st]

11:30 AM on 02/18/2011

Colorado Bills passed in July, 2006 ~ Page 2 of 3

Below is a summary of bills passed by both houses. On July 31, 2006, Colorado Governor Owens signed these bills.

HB 1023 requires each applicant who applies for public benefits to affirm that they are lawfully present in the country, and thus denies most non-emergency services to illegal aliens over the age of 18. Those seeking benefits must present valid ID (from a list determined by the Colorado Department of Revenue) and sign a non-notarized affirmation of lawful presence. If a legal alien utilizes a green card, verification of the A-number is confirmed with US Citizenship and Immigration Services via the Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlement (SAVE) program. Illegal aliens will continue to receive federally mandated services, including K-12 education, but are denied a multitude of previously obtainable services. Effective immediately.

SB 4 - Makes it a felony to extort services from illegal aliens through threats based on their immigration status. Effective immediately.

SB 5 - Makes it a felony to coerce involuntary servitude by withholding or destroying immigration documents or making threats based on person's immigration status. Effective immediately.

SB 7 - Makes it a felony for people to vote in an election in which they are not entitled to vote. Effective immediately.

[Viper1st]

11:24 AM on 02/18/2011

Colorado Bills passed in July, 2006 ~ Page 3 of 3

Below is a summary of bills passed by both houses. On July 31, 2006, Colorado Governor Owens signed these bills.

SB 90 - Requires law enforcement officials to report suspected illegal aliens when they are arrested to federal immigration officials, except in cases of domestic violence and minor traffic violations. Prohibits state and local governments from enacting policies that stop cooperation with immigration officials, thus making sanctuary cities illegal. Effective May 1, 2006.

HB 1306 - Requires an audit of 2003 law (HB-1224 - The Colorado Secure and Verifiable Identity Document Act that limits the use of identification issued by foreign governments, thus prohibiting general acceptance of the Mexican Matricula Consular ID card. Effective August 7, 2006.

HB 1343 - Requires state contractors to use the federal Basic Pilot database to check the immigration status of new hires. Denies state contracts to businesses that knowingly hire illegal immigrants. Effective August 7, 2006.

SB 110 - Making counterfeit identification documents is punishable by a $50,000 civil fine. Effective May 30, 2006.

SB 206 - Makes human smuggling and paying someone to sneak an illegal alien into the country a state felony. Effective May 30, 2006.

SB 207 - Makes human trafficking and selling adults into indentured servitude or prostitution a state felony. Effective May 30, 2006.

SB 225 - Creates a new unit of state troopers (12 in the first year and 24 the next year) specially trained to investigate

[IllTakeTheRedEye]

09:06 AM on 02/18/2011

They should just pass a bill making it mandatory for all local police in the state to join 287g

[Fred303]

06:54 AM on 02/18/2011

Great News, I would hate to see Colorado turn into backward state like Arizona.

[spytheweb]

03:13 AM on 02/18/2011

Colorado is a sanctuary state for illegals.

[Viper1st]

09:44 AM on 02/18/2011

Respectfully ~ The state of Colorado is known to have the 2nd toughest illegal immigration laws in the nation

Point in Fact ~ Colorado has statewide anti-sanctuary legislation since 2006

http://www.leg.state.co.us/Clics2006A/csl.nsf/fsbillcont3/D44C4D655410B398872570CB005DB438?Open&file=090_enr.pdf

[spytheweb]

04:50 AM on 02/21/2011

COLORADO HAS ONE OR MORE CITIES OFFERING
ILLEGAL SANCTUARY

Aurora, Colorado

Commerce City, Colorado

Denver, Colorado

Durango, Colorado (2003)

Federal Heights, Colorado

Fort Collins, Colorado

Lafayette, Colorado

Thornton, Colorado

Westminster, Colorado
http://www.sanctuarycities.info/sanctuary_state_colorado.htm

[Jack Tripperr]

02:50 AM on 02/18/2011

Republicans are bigots, that is all there is to it.

[Strega]

11:43 PM on 02/17/2011

What would be probable cause? Their skin color?

[Soule23]

08:32 AM on 02/18/2011

Republicans are still upset about civil rights. That's what this is all about.

[IllTakeTheRedEye]

09:01 AM on 02/18/2011

That is what you want it to be about...
 
Stop feigning race
 
Illegal is not a race

[Strega]

09:12 AM on 02/18/2011

Truth!

[Philimanjaro]

05:29 PM on 02/20/2011

That depends. Are all illegal immigrants non-white?

[Strega]

07:12 PM on 02/20/2011

No, just the ones they hunt down.

[pjgm]

12:08 PM on 02/17/2011

Would someone please put forward a bill that would allow law enforcement officers to arrest employers without a warrant if that officer has probable cause that they are employing illegal aliens? I didn't think so.

[Viper1st]

01:01 PM on 02/17/2011

.
Colorado has had its own version of E-Verify since 2006 ~


http://www.colorado.gov/cs/Satellite?blobcol=urldata&blobheader=application%2Fpdf&blobkey=id&blobtable=MungoBlobs&blobwhere=1251616385411&ssbinary=true

[pjgm]

01:50 PM on 02/17/2011

Yes, and there are already plenty of laws on the books regarding illegal aliens. There's no point in introducing more, unless the point is to waste money while posturing in a Tancredesque manner.

[spytheweb]

03:14 AM on 02/18/2011

Companies can't hire them if they don't cross the border.

[pjgm]

10:11 AM on 02/18/2011

Yet another fool who only looks at the symptoms rather than a primary cause. Major corporations want them to cross the border and entice them to do so. Unless the government cracks down on corporations and their executives we'll continue to have this revolving door at the border.

[DenverBigDaddy]

10:04 AM on 02/17/2011

Dems usually kill bills that make sense..........why is this news?

[KIVPossum]

10:00 AM on 02/17/2011

Dems need to face reality - A lot, a lot, of Americans want immigration laws to be enforced and are not going to accept a blanket amnesty program again.

[Fred303]

06:56 AM on 02/18/2011

"a lot of racist people"

fixed it for you.

[IllTakeTheRedEye]

09:12 AM on 02/18/2011

What are you talking about?
 
KIVPossum did not type what you put into quotes
 
Stopping feigning race about USA immigration laws & enforcement of said laws
Illegal is not a race

[IllTakeTheRedEye]

09:09 AM on 02/18/2011

Fanned and Fav'd
 
Do not need immigration reform, when we have not had immigration enforcement.

[LuLou Murder]

04:56 AM on 02/17/2011

The way to stop enforcement of these laws is for Hispanic officers to arrest every single white person on suspicion of being an illegal immigrant.

[spytheweb]

03:18 AM on 02/18/2011

I vote for national biometric finger print ID cards. Without a card you can not do anything and if you're illegal, deported the same day.

[IllTakeTheRedEye]

09:13 AM on 02/18/2011

I will agree to that.
 
Do it.
 
I can prove that I am in the country legally