Justice
Immigrant legal defense fund sought by Colorado lawmakers
State Rep. Kerry Tipper, a Lakewood Democrat, plans to sponsor a bill to help low-income immigrants facing deportation pay for legal defense.
Private prison phase-out is welcome. Now do it for immigration.
Less than a week into his term, Biden issued an executive order that will phase out Department of Justice contracts with private firms that operate criminal detention facilities. It was a welcome move. But an incomplete one.
Denver officials didn’t give notice before large-scale homeless sweeps in part to avoid protests, federal judge writes
A federal judge issued a ruling on Monday requiring Denver city officials to give seven days notice before clearing most homeless encampments, or two days notice if the area is deemed dangerous to public health and safety. The preliminary injunction was issued by Judge William J. Martinez on Jan. 25 after three days of evidentiary […]
‘Not acceptable, whatsoever’: Medicaid mismanagement draws lawmaker scrutiny
Colorado state lawmakers grilled leaders of the Department of Health Care Policy and Financing on Friday regarding a slew of serious noncompliance issues related to Medicaid, the state’s low-income health insurance plan. As of June 2020, HCPF had 17 noncompliance issues — 14 of which are deemed high priority — the highest number of any […]
ACLU files appeal to Colorado Supreme Court, wants Gov. Polis to decrease prison population
The American Civil Liberties Union of Colorado on Thursday submitted an expedited appeal to the Colorado Supreme Court regarding the recent dismissal of a lawsuit which aimed to decrease the state’s prison population in light of the pandemic. The original lawsuit, which was filed in May in Denver District Court and later dismissed on Dec. […]
Biden immigration overhaul would open a door to citizenship for 11 million people
WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden is poised to send a sweeping immigration reform bill to Congress Thursday that would lay out a path for nearly 11 million undocumented people to obtain citizenship within eight years. Immigration has been one of the toughest issues for Congress to tackle, and the legislation’s fate is unclear in a […]
Q&A: A Colorado history professor who studies fascism talks about the Capitol insurrection — and what could come next
When the Capitol insurrection was in full swing on Jan. 6, Michael Ortiz, an assistant professor of world history at the University of Northern Colorado, was trying — somewhat unsuccessfully — to finish writing the conclusion of his book exploring the history of fascism. Ortiz, who studies how fascism and imperialism intersect, was glued to […]
Black women find healing (but sometimes racism, too) in the outdoors
It would be the last hike of the season, Jessica Newton had excitedly posted on her social media platforms. With mild weather forecast and Colorado’s breathtaking fall foliage as a backdrop, she was convinced an excursion at Beaver Ranch Park would be the quintessential way to close out months of warm-weather hikes with her “sister […]
Republican praise of Martin Luther King will sound even more hollow and hypocritical now
There’s a long list of Republicans who ought not part their lips this holiday weekend to praise Martin Luther King Jr., to quote from his most famous speech, or suggest in any way that they know anything about content of character. That list includes the 138 Republicans in the U.S. House and the six Republicans […]
Nearly 100 recommendations from Colorado’s audit office have yet to be implemented
Every year, Colorado’s independent audit office issues hundreds of requests to state agencies who are out of compliance with state or federal laws. But year after year, agencies blow past their set deadlines to resolve the issues. Colorado’s Office of the State Auditor submitted 1,516 recommendations to state agencies between July 2014 and June 2019, […]
More than 170 cases opened in federal probe of U.S. Capitol attack
WASHINGTON — Almost a week after a violent mob stormed the U.S. Capitol, top officials at the FBI and Department of Justice held their first press conference on Tuesday to announce that they are directing prosecutors to issue a slew of sedition and conspiracy charges against pro-Trump rioters. More than 170 cases have been opened […]
86 out of 255 eligible prison inmates 70 or older have received the COVID-19 vaccine
The Colorado Department of Corrections has begun administering COVID-19 vaccines to inmates in state prisons who are 70 and older. As of Jan. 8, 86 out of 255 eligible inmates had received the vaccine, according to Annie Skinner, a CDOC spokeswoman. In total, CDOC has administered 2,061 vaccines between inmates, front-line health care workers, and […]