Colorado’s Democratic Governor Jared Polis recently enacted a law aimed at offering broader protections for undocumented immigrants, just days before alleged terrorist incidents occurred in the state. The legislation, known as SB 25-276, was signed after some adjustments on May 23.
This new law eliminates the requirement for undocumented immigrants to sign an affidavit confirming they have applied for legal status when seeking student tuition, driver’s licenses, or state ID. Additionally, it prevents local prison authorities from delaying undocumented defendants’ release for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations; previously, they could hold defendants for up to six hours.
The legislation also enables undocumented defendants to petition the court to withdraw a guilty plea for certain misdemeanors if they claim they weren’t adequately informed about how the plea would affect their immigration status. Previously, such exemptions were limited to Class 1 and 2 misdemeanors.
Moreover, the law restricts state employees from sharing individuals’ data with agencies like ICE. State workers are allowed to report such data requests annually, along with delineating limitations on public educational institutions and hospitals, unless ICE provides federal judicial warrants.
Violating these provisions could result in civil penalties of up to $50,000 for Colorado public facilities or government officials, as stated in the newly signed legislation.
The FBI identified a 45-year-old man, Mohamed Sabry Soliman, as the perpetrator of an attack utilizing makeshift flamethrowers during a protest in Boulder, Colorado. This protest was held to advocate for the release of Israeli hostages. According to the FBI, Soliman shouted “Free Palestine” while carrying out the assault, which left at least eight individuals injured.
Soliman had entered the U.S. on a visitor visa during the Biden administration and had his visa extended, eventually receiving a work permit, as mentioned by Stephen Miller, deputy chief of staff at the White House and Homeland Security Advisor. CBS News noted that Soliman was originally from Egypt.
The Department of Homeland Security reported that it had received accusations of protecting “illegal criminal aliens” from sanctuary jurisdictions. Following public backlash, they removed a list that had included several Colorado counties, including El Paso County. Colorado officials refuted claims that the state was a sanctuary and Republican Rep. Lauren Boebert criticized the swift release of the list.
In light of the recent attack, DHS announced changes to its ICE tip line. The FBI is treating the incident as a terrorist act, with reports indicating that Soliman had been plotting the attack for about a year, expressing intentions to target “Zionist people.” He has since been charged with a federal hate crime.
