Amendment 81: Law Enforcement Communication with Federal Immigration Authorities

What It Would Do

Amendment 81 would add a new section to the Colorado Constitution requiring state and local law enforcement to notify the U.S. Department of Homeland Security whenever someone is charged with a violent crime, or charged with any crime while having a prior felony conviction, if officers cannot verify the person is lawfully present in the United States. This would roll back Colorado's current law, which bars local police from participating in civil immigration enforcement and restricts sharing personal information with federal immigration authorities. It requires 55% voter approval to pass, as a constitutional amendment.

Fiscal Impact

As of this writing, state fiscal analysts had not yet published a finalized cost estimate for implementation.

Why We're Voting No

Boulder Progressives opposes Amendment 81 because it would turn local police into an arm of federal immigration enforcement, requiring them to report people to federal authorities based on a mere charge, before anyone is convicted of anything. This erodes trust between immigrant communities and local law enforcement and makes everyone less safe.

Sources: Colorado Secretary of State Title Board official ballot title, KUNC, Colorado Politics.