It doesn’t make sense because it’s not supposed to—it’s classic Polis politics: pass flashy laws to please your base, then quietly ignore them when the feds come knocking. This Denver Post article lays it out in black and white: Colorado state agencies under Governor Jared Polis handed over records to ICE four times this year, despite state laws passed by his own legislative allies specifically forbidding that kind of cooperation.
The Polis administration defends this double-dealing by saying the subpoenas were tied to “criminal investigations”—specifically drug trafficking or marijuana operations. But here’s the kicker: the subpoenas were civil in nature. That’s right—no criminal warrants. No judge’s signature. Just a federal form letter stamped “subpoena,” and Colorado bent the knee.
The Bullet Point Brief
- Four ICE Subpoenas Complied With: Despite laws restricting cooperation, the state handed over info related to marijuana licenses and Labor Department records, including personal data.
- Civil, Not Criminal: The law says Colorado can’t help ICE unless it’s a criminal case. These subpoenas weren’t criminal. That’s the legal equivalent of “Oops, we forgot the Constitution.”
- Polis Administration’s Excuse? “Controlled substances” sounds scary, so they’re pretending it’s criminal. It’s not. It’s a workaround—and a weak one at that.
- Whistleblower in the House: A state official flagged this as potentially illegal and sued the administration. Translation: even people inside the machine know something stinks.
- Judge Had to Step In: A court had to slap the administration with a preliminary injunction to stop them from breaking their own law. That’s not leadership—that’s legal babysitting.
My Bottom Line
This right here is why people don’t trust a damn thing coming out of the Capitol. Polis passes laws to score points with progressives—like banning state cooperation with ICE—and then turns around and ignores them when it’s politically or legally convenient. The subpoenas weren’t criminal. The cooperation wasn’t lawful. The governor broke his own rules and figured nobody would notice. And worst of all, the legislature just shrugs like it didn’t happen. You want to talk about the rule of law? Start by following your own damn laws – which violate federal statute. This isn’t just hypocrisy—it’s institutional gaslighting, and Colorado voters should be furious. Sanctuary state? More like sanctuary until it’s awkward.
