PRINT Colorado Springs council reaffirms non-sanctuary status, residents rally against ‘political theater’ (copy)
The Colorado Springs City Council on Tuesday passed a symbolic resolution reaffirming it is not a sanctuary city for immigrants crossing U.S. borders after residents who spoke for hours against the document, calling it “political theater.”
The resolution additionally asserts the city won’t spend taxpayer money on services “related to this crisis” and calls on the federal government to secure the country’s borders. The resolution passed 6-3, with Councilwomen Yolanda Avila, Nancy Henjum and Michelle Talarico voting against its passage.
The council considered the document about two weeks after El Paso County commissioners held a news conference Jan. 31 to reemphasize neither the county nor city are designated sanctuary jurisdictions. Commissioners, too, called on nonprofit leaders to limit assistance they give to immigrants. Councilman Dave Donelson, who sponsored the city resolution, also participated in the county-led news conference.
Nearly 50 people packed council chambers at City Hall on Tuesday to speak on the resolution during public comment for almost three hours, with about 40 residents opposed. Many of them described the document as one with no legal weight, but as a “fearmongering” resolution that could bolster xenophobia and “hateful rhetoric” about immigrants.
Jerima King, a local volunteer with the Colorado Immigrant Rights Coalition and an immigrant from Panama who became a naturalized citizen in the 1980s, said the resolution was flawed because most Americans are immigrants or descendants of immigrants to the United States.
“Unless you’re a Native American, you are a descendant of an immigrant,” she told Gazette journalists at a pro-immigration rally in front of City Hall on Tuesday morning, organized by members of her coalition and the Colorado Springs Democratic Socialists of America. Several dozen people attended, including members of the Colorado Springs Homeless Union who were simultaneously rallying for more shelter and housing options in the city.
“Every wave of immigrants has had to deal with this — resentment because they speak a different language or do things differently. They all have to make an effort to learn the language … and have opportunities for their children,” King added.
Assistant City Attorney Ben Bolinger told the council there is no legal definition of a sanctuary city and the resolution has no legal impact on Colorado Springs, because it is a “political statement.”
According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, the term “sanctuary policy” applies to jurisdictions that “limit cooperation with federal immigration authorities, such as failing to provide information about immigration status and limiting the length of immigration detainers.” Some jurisdictions cooperate with federal law enforcement in criminal investigations, particularly, under other voluntary agreements, while others have policies that limit their cooperation in civil investigations.
Chief of Staff Jamie Fabos said the state Emergency Management Office has shared with Colorado Springs officials that as of Friday, most of the immigrants it is seeing are seeking asylum. The immigrants have gone through U.S. Customs and Border Protection, have received an alien registration number, and their hearings for asylum status are being scheduled for one to three years from now, due to a backlog of people seeking asylum in the U.S., she said.
Immigration proponents said migrants have a legal right to asylum.
“These are families with beautiful children who have followed the law. They’ve asked for asylum. They’ve been vetted by the government. They are not illegal,” resident Phyllis Dunn said.
Others said immigrants play a vital role in creating vibrant local economies where they work and pay taxes, and they also make rich cultural contributions to the places where they reside.
“You have no problem exploiting us and extracting labor, but you draw the line at giving us access to resources and rights?” said Nadya Benitez, who works with the Colorado Immigrant Rights Coalition. Benitez is an immigrant who, along with her family, came to Colorado Springs in 2002.
Councilmembers who opposed the resolution agreed with others that it was fear-based.
“This is nothing but a distraction and a political ploy,” Avila said. “People on the City Council will tell me, ‘I’m all about policy.’ … This isn’t policy. This is fearmongering. This is chaos.”
About four people who spoke in favor of the resolution said they were concerned the crisis Denver is experiencing would spill into Colorado Springs.
Denver, which is a declared sanctuary city, saw more than 34,000 immigrants from countries including Venezuela and Colombia last year, arriving on 105 buses in December alone. Facing a humanitarian crisis, the city has purchased transportation to send about half of those migrants to other places, a spokesperson with Denver Human Services said in December.
Candy Boyer recalled Springs Mayor Yemi Mobolade’s recent statements that Colorado Springs will care for its residents first.
“As a taxpayer of both the city and the county, I do not desire us to be a sanctuary city. … Our laws must be abided by all. Citizens’ needs have to be respected. … Our voices need to be heard to preserve our way of life,” she said.
Donelson, who sponsored the resolution, said the council often passes symbolic resolutions to express their views on various topics. For example, in October 2022 the board passed a resolution opposing a November 2022 ballot measure that would have legalized recreational marijuana sales in the city.
“It seems to be that we have chaos at the border,” Donelson said, noting millions of migrants have crossed the southern border into the U.S. in the past three years.
“Denver is suffering greatly right now and their medical system is under great distress. … Our local medical system is under stress. Those are the kinds of things that do concern me and … that’s why we felt this was appropriate, to have a statement, to have a resolution,” he said.
ABOVE: With Colorado Springs City Council members sitting at their desks, a row of citizens opposing a nonsanctuary resolution display a sign after speaking at City Hall on Tuesday.
LEFT: Jerima King, right, and a woman named Jan have a robust conversation over opposing views before a demonstration against the nonsanctuary resolution vote at Colorado Springs City Council on Tuesday. King is an immigrant and was against the resolution, and Jan was for the resolution.
Jerima King speaks during a demonstration against the nonsanctuary resolution at City Hall on Tuesday.
John Lynch gives his views about a non-sanctuary resolution at hearing before the Colorado Springs City Council Tuesday.
Chenoa Flick, mother of Micah Flick, takes her seat after giving her views in favor of the nonsanctuary resolution.
Protesters convened in front of City Hall on Tuesday morning for a rally organized by the Colorado Immigrant Rights Coalition and the Colorado Springs Democratic Socialists of America. The Colorado Springs City Council is scheduled approve a resolution confirming the city’s non-sanctuary status and declaring it will refrain from utilizing taxpayer funds for services related to the crisis.
