Undocumented residents celebrate new Colorado immigration law

PUEBLO, Colo. — People traveled from Trinidad, Colorado Springs, and other parts of southern Colorado to Pueblo in celebration of a new law that expands protections for the state's undocumented immigrants.

In May, Gov. Jared Polis, a Democrat, signed SB25-276, or the “Protect Civil Rights Immigration Status” bill, penalizing public organizations for sharing private information, such as home addresses, of undocumented people. The law took full effect in September. 

“Really, we wanted to center joy,” said Annette Levya, the south regional organizer for the Colorado Immigration Rights Coalition (CIRC), the group that organized the event for more than 50 people.

Levya said that because of bill SB25-276, undocumented people will receive added protection and can go to the library, for example, without being required to submit proof of immigration status. 

“Given the amount of fear in our community, we know that we need to hold on to that joy,” said Leyva, who had lobbied for the bill, which also requires ICE officials to show warrants before accessing public facilities across Colorado.

“I have some dear friends that I'm really worried about,” said Barbara Ripperger, a Pueblo resident for the past 51 years.

Ripperger, a member of the Faith Leaders in Action social advocacy group, met with the Pueblo County Sheriff's Office, who cannot coordinate with ICE under Colorado law, to secure the department’s endorsement for the bill.  

“I know that they [undocumented people] worry about being separated from your children, as do I,” Ripperger said. “That would be a great tragedy.”  

Colorado legislators passed SB25-276 in May in a 23-12 vote along party lines, with Republicans opposed. The law requires certain public organizations, such as schools, libraries and hospitals to have clear written policies about how they share undocumented people’s information, including driver’s licenses and home addresses, with ICE officials. 

Advocacy organizations, like CIRC, have been informing the community of the new law and what it means for them since there are no requirements for the posted, written policies to be in Spanish.

Additionally, the law prevents public organizations and facilities from sharing physical records, for example about students born in the US whose parents remain undocumented, with ICE officials without a warrant.  

ICE officials are also barred from public spaces without a warrant.

Despite President Donald Trump’s campaign promise to deport violent criminals who are in the country illegally, about 71.5% of current ICE detainees — 42,755 detainees out of 59,762 total people currently being held — have no criminal conviction, according to TRAC Reports, a nonprofit data analysis center. The number of detainees has increased from 39,703 before President Trump took office.

Advocates of SB25-276 say it will expand public locations where undocumented people can feel safe to prevent further situations like that of Jeanette Vizguerra, a woman who took refuge in a church in 2017. ICE detained Vizguerra outside of Target, where she worked, earlier this year. She remains in custody at the ICE detention facility in Aurora.

CIRC’s celebration took place at a local church in Pueblo where people with different immigration statuses enjoyed raffles for children’s toys and home decor, eating Mexican chili, and a performance of a traditional Mexican dance called “Danza de los Viejitos,” or the “Dance of the Elders.”

Despite the mounting fear of deportation, the crowd enjoyed the festivities. 

“Especially out in some of these rural areas where there is a large immigrant community,” Levya said, “It was great to just be together in one space to have a moment and space to like, dance and dance [to] Mexican music, to speak Spanish freely.”