County concerns heightened over immigration enforcement

False alarms about ICE raids

By Katherine Nettles

During the Gunnison County commissioners meeting on February 4, commissioner Liz Smith, who has been an advocate for the immigrant community within the county, reported back from the recent Colorado Counties Incorporated (CCI) meetings. CCI is a non-profit membership association for counties in the state. Smith said there have been some contentious votes among CCI over what legislation to support or oppose, including a motion to oppose legislation on immigration. Senate Bill 2547 would compel counties to cooperate with federal immigration law enforcement. Smith said there was a motion to oppose that legislation, but the motion failed. “We ended up at a monitor,” she said, which means CCI will simply monitor the trajectory of the bill without taking action to oppose or support it. 

“With all the national attention, our immigrant community is certainly experiencing quite a bit of anxiety here,”  Smith said and there is some concern within the community that may not be brought to discuss at meetings, but there have been a lot of false alarms about ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) raids. “There has been a lot of fear.”