Political Sheet

Colorado House Immigration Resolution: Symbolism Over Results

Watercolor illustration of the Colorado State Capitol with winter streets and a Northern Colorado landscape in the distance
Three hours of speeches, zero hours of solutions.
Written by Scott K. James

Colorado House Democrats passed an immigration resolution after hours of debate. Scott K. James says it is performative politics, not governing.

In The Denver Gazette, the Colorado House spent more than three hours Tuesday morning duking it out over a joint resolution about immigration, down in Denver under the Gold Dome. Nothing says “we’re solving problems” like a floor speech marathon and a pile of adjectives.

The resolution “affirmed commitment” to Coloradans navigating the immigration system, condemned actions by federal immigration agents and the Trump White House, and teed up the usual Colorado versus feds showdown. In the Denver/Boulder Bubble, rewriting federal law with a state resolution is apparently a growth industry.

The Bullet Point Brief

  • Colorado House debated and passed a joint immigration resolution after more than three hours on the floor.
  • Democrats framed the resolution as support for immigrants and condemned federal enforcement actions they say increased fear, confusion, and racial profiling.
  • Republicans objected to parts of the resolution, including references to the deaths of Renee Good and Alex Pretti, who were shot by federal immigration agents in Minneapolis and had ties to Colorado.
  • The article notes state and local governments have allocated tens of dollars tied to an influx of about 40,000 immigrants in recent years, and Denver taxpayers assumed the bulk of nearly $90 million in costs for housing, feeding, and transporting migrants.
  • The resolution passed near party line, with Majority Leader Monica Duran accidentally voting against it before apologizing after a recess.

My Bottom Line

Here is a prime example of what the Democrats under the Gold Dome do best: perform. It’s a Show Pony routine for their leftist donor base, with just enough moral frosting to cover the fact that it does not fix a single damn thing.

Let’s not pretend. The Supremacy Clause is real, and immigration is a federal issue. You can pass all the “commitment” resolutions you want, but Washington still writes the rules, and the bill still shows up at our doorstep.

Here’s the part they skip: open a window on that glorious, marbled building within which you preen, look outside, and see the impacts of your policy. Boarded up buildings within eye-shot of the Capitol. Homelessness. Mental illness. Streets in disrepair. Filth. But hey, at least the speeches were heartfelt.

You don’t get to call it compassion and bill us for it. Who pays? Who profits? Who gets blamed? It’s always the same sucker at the end of the chain: the great suburban normie trying to afford housing, energy, insurance, and groceries while the Capitol crowd plays hashtag politics.

Colorado has become the state where symbolism is mandatory, and results are optional.

If they actually want to govern, here’s the to-do list: reform regulation, repeal legislation, shrink government, lighten the load, and do your damn job rather than virtue signaling to your base. We can disagree without lying, and we can enforce the law without dehumanizing people. When will Colorado wake up?


Source: The Denver Gazette

About the author

Scott K. James

A 4th generation Northern Colorado native, Scott K. James is a veteran broadcaster, professional communicator, and principled leader. Widely recognized for his thoughtful, common-sense approach to addressing issues that affect families, businesses, and communities, Scott, his wife, Julie, and son, Jack, call Johnstown, Colorado, home. A former mayor of Johnstown, James is a staunch defender of the Constitution and the rule of law, the free market, and the power of the individual. Scott has delighted in a lifetime of public service and continues that service as a Weld County Commissioner representing District 2.