Support Urgent Measures to Protect Immigrants during the Corovavirus Outbreak

Jared Polis, Colorado Governor

*Seguido en español*

In this uncertain time of the Coronavirus epidemic, every Colorado family should be united to take care of one another. While Governor Polis has taken bold action to protect the public, such as closing Colorado Restaurants and Bars for dine-in, the immigrant community needs additional protection and swift action from the Governor.

We urge the Governor to protect Colorado's immigrant community by doing the following:

  • Sign Senate Bill 20-083 Prohibit Courthouse Civil Arrest: Concerning prohibiting civil arrest while on courthouse grounds.

  • Issue an Executive Order by Monday, March 23rd, 2020, using Senator Julie Gonzales’ data privacy bill as a guideline, to protect personal identifying information held by Colorado state agencies for all Colorado residents. One of the most common questions we receive from families is whether their information will be compromised by accessing the health services they need. Our communities will be safer and healthier when all residents can trust that the information they give to Colorado state agencies will be safe. Especially in a moment when our nation is threatened by COVID-19, we need to ensure that all residents in Colorado feel safe accessing our health systems and resources without compromising their personal information.

  • Issue a statement demanding that ICE immediately halt all enforcement activity in Colorado in light of the sensitive locations policy. Even with the statement from ICE in Washington, stating that they focus on public safety risks, we need you to unequivocally stand for immigrants in our state and stop all ICE enforcement activity. This would allow families to pick up and buy food, seek medical testing, and provide for their families without fear of family separation and detention during this crisis.

  • Ensure any funds or benefits provided by the Colorado State government or the Governor’s office to Colorado residents include all residents of Colorado, regardless of immigration status.

On 3/17/2020, the Denver Post reported that ICE continues targeting immigrant communities despite the Coronavirus outbreak and taking them to a detention facility in Aurora infamous for medical neglect and where 10 people were quarantined due to possible Coronavirus infection.

By targeting parents when they could be home with their children, at this uncertain time, ICE is using moments of upheaval as a weapon to subdue and manipulate parents and families.

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En este momento incierto de la epidemia de coronavirus, todas las familias de Colorado deben unirse para cuidarse unas a otras. Aunque el gobernador Polis ha tomado medidas audaces para proteger al público, como cerrar los restaurantes y bares de Colorado para cenar, la comunidad inmigrante necesita protección adicional y medidas rápidas del gobernador.

Instamos al Gobernador a proteger la comunidad inmigrante de Colorado haciendo lo siguiente:

  • Firmar el proyecto de ley del Senado 20-083 Prohibir el arresto civil en el juzgado: sobre prohibir el arresto civil en las cortes tribunales.


  • Emitir una orden ejecutiva antes del lunes 23 de marzo de 2020, utilizando el proyecto de ley de privacidad de datos de la senadora Julie Gonzales como guía, para proteger la información de identificación personal en poder de las agencias estatales de Colorado para todos los residentes de Colorado. Una de las preguntas más comunes que recibimos de las familias es si su información se verá comprometida al acceder a los servicios de salud que necesitan. Nuestras comunidades estarán más seguras y saludables cuando todos los residentes puedan confiar en que la información que comparten a las agencias estatales de Colorado estará segura. Especialmente en un momento en que nuestra nación está amenazada por COVID-19, debemos asegurarnos de que todos los residentes en Colorado se sientan seguros al acceder a nuestros sistemas y recursos de salud sin comprometer su información personal.


  • Emitir una declaración exigiendo que ICE detenga inmediatamente todas las actividades de cumplimiento en Colorado a la luz de la política de ubicaciones sensibles. Incluso con la declaración de ICE en Washington, que establece que se centran en los riesgos de seguridad pública, necesitamos que defienda inequívocamente a los inmigrantes en nuestro estado y que detenga todas las actividades de aplicación de ICE. Esto permitiría a las familias recoger y comprar alimentos, buscar pruebas médicas y mantener a sus familias sin temor a la separación y detención familiar durante esta crisis.

  • Asegúrese de que todos los fondos o beneficios proporcionados por el gobierno del estado de Colorado o la oficina del gobernador a los residentes de Colorado incluyan a todos los residentes de Colorado, independientemente de su estado migratorio.


El 17/03/2020, el Denver Post informó que ICE continúa atacando a las comunidades inmigrantes a pesar del brote de Coronavirus y llevándolas a un centro de detención en Aurora infame por negligencia médica y donde 10 personas fueron puestas en cuarentena debido a una posible infección por Coronavirus.

Al dirigirse a los padres cuando podrían estar en casa con sus hijos, en este momento incierto, ICE está utilizando momentos de agitación como un arma para someter y manipular a los padres y las familias.





To: Jared Polis, Colorado Governor
From: [Your Name]

Dear Governor Polis,

We commend the Governor’s Office for taking bold action to protect public safety by closing Colorado restaurants and bars for in-person dining; it reflects your deep concern for the health and well-being of Colorado’s residents. However, it has become increasingly evident that the immigrant community needs additional protection and swift action from you as our Governor. Moments of crisis highlight the disparities that exist in our society in profound ways and require our leaders to be both decisive and principled to ensure that all Coloradans’ are able to seek the resources they need for their families.

Immigrant communities have limited access to resources to manage soaring unemployment, and are afraid to seek out testing, health, and food services that are critical to keeping our communities safe amid a growing economic and health crisis. For immigrants and undocumented workers across industries closures create added economic strain; public resources made available do not extend far enough to include everyone, regardless of their immigration status. On top of all of this, ICE continued enforcement activities in public and private spaces, including courthouse arrests and street arrests of parents on Friday and Monday. Due to the current health crisis and the disproportionate impact on immigrant families, we ask that you:

1. Sign Senate Bill 20-083 Prohibit Courthouse Civil Arrest: Concerning prohibiting civil arrest while on courthouse grounds.

2. Issue an Executive Order by Monday, March 23rd, 2020, using Senator Julie Gonzales’ data privacy bill as a guideline, to protect personal identifying information held by Colorado state agencies for all Colorado residents. One of the most common questions we receive from families is whether their information will be compromised by accessing the health services they need. Our communities will be safer and healthier when all residents can trust that the information they give to Colorado state agencies will be safe. Especially in a moment when our nation is threatened by COVID-19, we need to ensure that all residents in Colorado feel safe accessing our health systems and resources without compromising their personal information.

3. Issue a statement demanding that ICE immediately halt all enforcement activity in Colorado in light of the sensitive locations policy. Even with the statement from ICE in Washington, stating that they focus on public safety risks, we need you to unequivocally stand for immigrants in our state and stop all ICE enforcement activity. This would allow families to pick up and buy food, seek medical testing, and provide for their families without fear of family separation and detention during this crisis.

4. Ensure any funds or benefits provided by the Colorado State government or the Governor’s office to Colorado residents include all residents of Colorado, regardless of immigration status.

Immigrant communities have limited access to resources to manage soaring unemployment, and are afraid to seek out testing, health, and food services that are critical to keeping our communities safe amid a growing economic and health crisis. Right now, the health and safety of Coloradans depends on the health and safety of all Colorado communities and currently our immigrant community is being denied access to health and safety.

We are supporting the demands of AFSC and COPA with other community leaders who ask for the release of the most vulnerable detainees from the GEO detention center that lacks adequate healthcare and support. Further, we believe any resources created in this moment to provide relief during increased economic strain and mandated closures should be available to everyone, regardless of citizenship status. Government resources and announcements should be made available in multiple languages through avenues that are culturally relevant. These moments underline the importance of supporting those who are most vulnerable among us, because our collective health depends on the well-being of everyone.

Governor Polis, we are calling on you to stand up for the immigrant community in this time of crisis to further enhance the public safety for all. We need a champion for the entire community that includes our immigrant family, friends and neighbors.

Sincerely,
A concerned resident of Colorado