Colorado Senate debates broad immigration bill that limits local cooperation with federal enforcement

Senate Bill 276, a sweeping measure from senators Gonzales and Weisman intended to limit certain local interactions with federal immigration enforcement and tighten rules about government-held personal data, drew a full day of debate April 15 in the Colorado Senate.

Sponsor Senator Gonzales (prime sponsor) framed the bill as an attempt to clarify protections for all people in Colorado regardless of immigration status, and to reduce fear that prevents victims and witnesses from contacting police. “Do we believe that the constitution protects us all?” Gonzales asked on the floor, adding the bill creates “clarity amidst the chaos, confusion, and uncertainty that Coloradans are currently actively navigating.”

Supporters said the bill would narrow the circumstances under which local agencies and certain institutions may share personally identifying information with federal immigration authorities, require judicial warrants for arrests tied to immigration detainers, and add reporting and oversight when state agencies collect immigration-related data. Senator Weisman explained that an updated fiscal estimate prepared for the Appropriations Committee showed a budget‑year impact “of about $250,000,” which informed an appropriations amendment adopted in committee.

Opponents — including county sheriffs, several Republican senators, and others who spoke on the floor — warned the bill, as drafted, would interfere with routine law-enforcement…