Colorado lawmakers lobby to punish sanctuary cities

DENVER — Four Colorado Republican lawmakers on Thursday brought their ideas to the White House on punishing so-called sanctuary cities, hoping to build on the Trump administration’s lawsuit challenging California laws it says protect immigrants in the country illegally.

State Rep. Dave Williams said he was going to suggest holding individual cities and their policymakers personally liable during a meeting with the White House Domestic Policy Council. The Colorado Springs Republican says he hopes U.S. Attorney Jeff Sessions follows up on the California lawsuit this week with similar legal actions against municipalities.

“These sanctuary communities and politicians are willfully endangering the public,” Williams said ahead of the meeting. “Cities like Denver and states like California are allowing criminal aliens to run loose, to kill, murder, maim or hurt our fellow Americans.”

The Democratic mayor of Denver has limited cooperation with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Police policy is to notify ICE when immigrants in city jails are to be released, but they refuse to grant access to jail cells. Mayor Michael Hancock and other officials have criticized the presence of ICE agents in courthouses and raids near public schools.

The Trump administration last year threatened to withhold federal funding for police programs in Denver and other sanctuary cities. A federal judge permanently blocked the effort after a lawsuit.

Democrats and others challenge the legality of Williams’ proposal — much like California Gov. Jerry Brown, Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel and others nationwide did in reaction to the Sessions’ lawsuit.