Colorado governor vetoes legislation allowing ICE to be sued

(The Center Square) – Colorado Gov. Jared Polis vetoed a Democrat-backed bill on Wednesday that would have allowed citizens to sue immigration enforcement officers for civil rights violations.

The Democratic governor’s veto comes amidst a series of vetoes against legislation passed by his own party. Questions of constitutionality surrounded the immigration enforcement lawsuits bill.

“I applaud the sponsors of this legislation for tackling this critical issue,” Polis wrote in his explanation of the veto. “Unfortunately, after careful consideration, I believe the legal risks of the actual language in SB 26-005 outweigh the potential benefits.”

The Rights Violation in Immigration Enforcement Remedy bill, Senate Bill 26-005, would have allowed Colorado citizens to sue federal agents who violated their civil rights while participating in civil immigration enforcement. Any legal action against federal officers would need to take place within tw...