COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — El Paso County Commissioners are joining in on a lawsuit aimed at overturning two state immigration laws. The county commissioners voted to be co-plaintiffs on the resolution first drafted by Douglas County.
The vote to join the lawsuit was unanimous with four of the five El Paso County commissioners present. District Four Commissioner Longinos Gonzalez Junior was not at Tuesday's meeting.
Vice Chair and District 2 County Commissioner Carrie Geitner said the suit seeks to overturn two laws passed by Colorado lawmakers over the past several years.
“So we are authorizing our attorney to go ahead and join with Douglas County on that litigation and that is specifically around a couple of state laws,” Geitner said.
One of the laws at issue was passed in 2019. HB19-1124 prohibits officers from arresting or detaining someone based solely on their immigration status. It also prevents probation officers from sharing someone's personal information with federal immigration authorities.
“It's keeping our sheriff from being able to help with arresting a detaining individual,” Geitner said.
The other law targeted in the suit was passed last year. HB23-1100 made it illegal for state and local governments to make deals to hold people for federal immigration purposes.
“Previously, sheriff's office's could enter into a contract with the federal government to help them with those processes. That's no longer allowed as of last year from that legislative session,” Geitner said.
The commissioners said that for them, it all comes down to public safety.
“Ultimately, we want to see the laws overturn so that we can provide more safety to our community at the end of the day. If we have criminals in our community who are doing harm and may do harm again we want to make sure that we are able to get them off the street and protect our community,” Geitner said.
One resident spoke out in favor of the lawsuit during Tuesday's commissioners meeting and none spoke against it.
“We need to let our legislators know we have had it with them breaking the constitution, so I appreciate this lawsuit,” one resident said at Tuesday's meeting.
All four county commissioners shared why they believe these laws interfere with public safety.
“If we are not a safe community, then we are not meeting our job as county commissioners, and I think this goes a long way to providing the safety of our community,” Holly Williams, District 1 County Commissioner said.
The County Commissioner for District 3, Stan VanderWerf said, “I will also be in support of this resolution.”
Commissioner VanderWerf said there should be no law inhibiting local law enforcement to be able to work with federal law enforcement.
“We are stronger, we are better at public safety when we work together to make a law like that is nonsense, so I support this resolution and hope it will be successful,” VanderWerf said.
The next step is for the El Paso County and Douglas County attorney's office to officially file a lawsuit with the court.
On Wednesday, El Paso County Sheriff Joe Roybal is scheduled to make a statement about how these laws are impacting his office.