Immigration Issues

Opinion by Dorothea Farris

Our state is a collection of unique and special institutions, of deeply held values, and of respect for the individuals in our society.

Coloradans, regardless of political party or racial origins, support creating a path and revamping our immigration system to be just, efficient, humane, and transparent.

The People’s Resolution calls on the Colorado delegation to the US Congress, the Colorado legislature, and the Governor to take steps now to address this complex issue.

We call on our Colorado Legislators to remove the most harmful impacts of our immigration policies in Colorado by enacting the following policies:

• Uphold our constitution and require Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to show a judicial warrant before receiving information about or detaining people.
• Provide a path for all Coloradans to participate in an understandable process that ensures equal access to the justice system.
• Create an understandable line between law enforcement and ICE, including between Immigration and Customs Enforcement and probation.
• Safeguard Coloradans against IIRIRA’s double jeopardy and deportation impacts through public advocacy and pardons.

Congress can create an immigration system that values the tapestry of our communities, the unity of our families, and our humanity by creating a pathway to citizenship for all undocumented people.

As steps toward this goal, we must call on Congress to do the following:

• Create a path for all Temporary Protected Status holders to legal permanent residency.
• Maintain our commitment to human rights by protecting asylum seekers.
• Repeal IIRIRA and create or restore paths to legal permanent residency for parents of US citizen children.
• Repeal IIRIRA and create or restore paths to citizenship by giving power and discretion back to judges.
• Create a transparent and timely path, fulfilling our promises to families, by eliminating quotas that mean decades of waiting for millions of parents and their children.

Thank you for your interest and concern.  Please review the attached People’s Resolution. We look forward to your comments and your support.

Dorothea Farris is a longtime Roaring Fork Valley local. Her many lives have included work as a newspaper editor, a proofreader, a handwriting analyst, a weather reader for the airport, an activist and/or board member for educational, historical, environmental, wildlife, or political agencies and organizations.