First, we’d like to add a little context for a nation that has been inundated with reports about Mayor Mike Johnston’s outlandish rhetoric about a looming standoff brewing between Denver police and federal troops or immigration officials. Most Americans probably don’t know that Johnston has worked tirelessly his entire career to protect America’s Dreamers – people who were brought illegally to America as children.
President Donald Trump failed in his first term to deport Dreamers only because the U.S. Supreme Court ruled his administration acted arbitrarily and capriciously to strip them of their legal status.
He has pledged to be more successful at deporting Dreamers – many of whom are now adults who own homes, have children who are U.S. citizens and are productive members of our community – during his second term that begins in a few short months.
We are not surprised Johnston recklessly elevated the rhetoric around protecting Coloradans without legal immigration status. But that doesn’t make it OK.
If Americans are going to protect our friends and neighbors from Trump’s aggressive efforts to strip them of their legal status and have them deported, we must maintain the moral high ground.
Thousands of Coloradans – those with Temporary Protected Status, Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, humanitarian parole and asylum protections – are at risk of Trump stripping them of their legal status and deporting them, regardless of their families, their careers or the dangers that await them in their country of origin.
Trump has used outlandish rhetoric, casting these individuals as criminals of the worst kind – rapists and murderers — who have poisoned the blood of America. Trump has said he will use military force to round up those without permanent legal status and deport them. We cannot stoop to his level by pledging a violent confrontation to stop such a travesty from occurring. That is what Trump wants — to plunge America into chaos and conflict.
Instead, the path forward is one of smart resistance.
Denver police should hand violent criminals over to deportation officials. It’s a simple position that The Denver Post has supported tirelessly — the price to remain in America for those without legal status is strict adherence to our laws. The vast majority of immigrants understand this responsibility. Even those here on Green Cards worry about minor infractions like speeding tickets.
There are, however, clear cases, where deportation is the correct answer.
Jesus Alberto Pereira Castillo has been arrested on charges of raping a 14-year-old girl in Jefferson County. This man should be deported. Confusion about whether or not a sanctuary city would protect someone accused of rape from deportation has helped lead to the election of Donald Trump. Of course, sanctuary cities don’t protect rapists from deportation, but America’s legal system is clear that everyone is afforded due process of the law and human rights in this country regardless of immigration status.
Johnston must choose his words carefully.
Coloradans will gladly hand criminals over to Trump’s operation to deport as many people as possible. But our friends and neighbors are off limits, and any effort to strip them of their legal status and deport them to countries they often don’t even remember will be opposed by every legal tool available to this state, our cities, our counties, our churches, and our individual households. Johnston should keep his remarks far away from violent conflict and focus on peaceful resistance.
Trump’s federal officials can demand to see proof of citizenship from people on the streets of Colorado, but Coloradans can refuse to obey the unlawful order to present proof of citizenship.
The U.S. government already knows the home address and work address of every person with Deferred Action in Colorado. This is a perilous time, but we can protect Dreamers without armed conflict on the border.
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