Sheriff: Colorado limits local enforcement of federal immigration law; 20 jail inmates have ICE detainers

Douglas County Sheriff Darren Weekley briefed the group on immigration enforcement and how state law shapes local practice, saying, "Colorado peace officers have 0 0 0 authority to enforce federal immigration laws." He described Colorado’s statutory and regulatory framework as limiting local officers’ role in immigration enforcement and said deputies act on criminal violations of Colorado law rather than on immigration status alone.

Weekley reported that, "As of yesterday... I have 20 inmates in my jail that currently have ICE detainers on them," listing origins he said included Mexico, Venezuela, Peru, Chile and Russia. He said the sheriff’s office cannot hold people solely on ICE detainers once criminal custody conditions end and that, since November, ICE has started to pick up some individuals while noting the agency’s operational priorities.

Commissioners linked immigration pressures to broader county budget stress and service demand; one commissioner said the county has "taken a very strong stance" and expressed concern about strains on services for legal immigrants. Sheriff Weekley and others cautioned that public misinformation persists about federal enforcement tactics, saying ICE is not undertaking wide civilian sweeps and that local authorities must follow Colorado law.

County Attorney Jeff Garcia and the sheriff also discussed pending state legislative efforts to alter sanctuary-related mandates. Weekley referenced Senate Bill "25 47" as an example of proposed legislation that would target criminal migrants. Garcia warned that federal executive actions and funding directives could produce downstream effects on homelessness programs if grant compliance requirements change.

Speakers emphasized service‑level responses: HEART, law enforcement and nonprofits are expected to continue making contact, offering resources and coordinating with federal and state partners when a criminal nexus exists.