Latest news with #Polis
CBS News
2 days ago
- Politics
- CBS News
Judge blocks order directing Colorado state employees to comply with ICE subpoenas
State and city officials praised a Denver district judge's decision to block an order directing employees to comply with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement subpoenas as "a victory for everyone in Colorado." The ruling comes after Scott Moss, Director of the Division of Labor Standards and Statistics, filed suit against Gov. Jared Polis over the order, which Moss said was illegal and violated the community's trust. Gov. Polis directed state employees to comply with an "Immigration Enforcement Subpoena" for information on 35 individuals who the Department of Homeland Security said were listed as sponsors of unaccompanied children in the U.S. illegally. The governor's office said the federal subpoena concerned potential crimes against minors and was in accordance with state law. During a news conference Thursday, Moss praised the judge's ruling and said that the hearings revealed there was no evidence of any harm to children. He claimed the subpoena was an "effort to work with, and say 'yes' to ICE's overly aggressive deportation campaign against our community, against immigrants, drafting in state workers as the unwilling troops in the ICE army." Director of Division of Labor Standards and Statistics Scott Moss addresses the press after ruling on ICE subpoenas. CBS He praised previous laws signed by the governor protecting immigrants' personally identifying information, and said that following the governor's order would violate those laws and break the trust they've asked immigrants to put in their public servants. Laura Wolf, the lead attorney prosecuting the case, said they were deeply concerned that the governor's office did not notify the people listed in the subpoena that they were included or that their information would be turned over to ICE. "We pushed so hard on that in court yesterday, and the court said that it would be 'very problematic' if they were to ever turn over this information to ICE without first notifying these individuals so they could assert their rights," said Wolf. Wolf called the judge's ruling a "huge victory" that made it clear producing information under the subpoena would violate Colorado state law. "This victory isn't just a victory for Coloradans either, it's a call to action around the country. It's a warning to any governors, any mayors, or any state or local agencies thinking of turning over their community's private information to ICE. Your collaboration with ICE and against your own community will see the light of day. It won't be done in the shadows and the darkness, as was attempted here," said Moss. Nina DiSalvo, Policy Director of Towards Justice, an organization that provides access to justice for workers who joined the lawsuit, said that protecting workers' rights would have wide-reaching effects on Colorado's economy. "Colorado workers would no longer be comfortable coming forward to address even the most blatant violation of their rights. If workers don't report, our economy will be caught in a race to the bottom in which employers who break the law simply get away with it and employers who follow the law cannot compete," said DiSalvo. CBS A spokesperson for the governor's office said they would abide by Tuesday's ruling, "We are reviewing the court's preliminary ruling to determine next steps in this matter. We will abide by the court's decision as we have always said we would. Governor Polis remains committed to fully and promptly cooperating with federal criminal investigations into child trafficking and exploitation, while protecting unaccompanied children in Colorado. We hope if information is needed for criminal investigations, that going forward, HSI will provide subpoenas for state information consistent with this ruling."
Axios
3 days ago
- Politics
- Axios
Judge blocks Colorado governor from forcing some staff to aid ICE subpoena
A Denver judge on Wednesday granted a preliminary injunction blocking Colorado Gov. Jared Polis from ordering certain state employees to comply with an ICE subpoena for personal information about undocumented children and their sponsors. The big picture: The ruling delivers a legal setback to Polis and a win for whistleblower Scott Moss, a top labor official in the governor's administration, who sued to block the disclosures. Yes, but: The preliminary injunction applies only to Moss and the staff he oversees. It doesn't stop Polis from ordering compliance from other state employees with access to the same records. What they're saying: Denver District Judge A. Bruce Jones called the ICE subpoena "overly broad," noted that it wasn't issued by a court, and suggested it may serve purposes beyond what's stated, including to help with deportation efforts. But the judge kept his ruling narrow: "I don't have the information about what other division chiefs think" about complying with the subpoena, he said Wednesday. "Therefore I'm not comfortable going beyond what I've done here." Between the lines: Wednesday's ruling reignites scrutiny over the Democratic governor's decision to override state legislation he signed into law — which limits state cooperation with federal immigration enforcement in non-criminal matters. Catch up quick: ICE's administrative subpoena, issued in April, sought names, home addresses, wages and more for 35 Colorado-based sponsors of unaccompanied immigrant children. The purpose, it claimed, was ensuring minors released to sponsors were safe. Polis initially resisted complying but reversed course weeks later, ordering staff to turn over documents or risk "immediate discipline or termination," court records allege. State of play: Moss, along with the two labor unions and nonprofit that joined the lawsuit, argued Polis' order violated Colorado law prohibiting state employees from sharing noncitizens' personally identifiable information to federal immigration authorities. Polis' lawyers argued the subpoena related to a criminal investigation into possible child trafficking and whether the children were properly cared for, not to immigration enforcement. They also maintain there has been no threat to Moss' employment. Reality check: The subpoena reviewed by Axios Denver makes no mention of any open criminal investigation, but instead references "conducting investigative activities" to address general risks of trafficking or exploitation. Notably, a checkbox on the subpoena that would formally classify the request as involving child exploitation crimes was left blank. "Am I going to believe you or my own lying eyes?" the judge told Polis' attorney on Monday, per Colorado Newsline. "When I read [the subpoena], it doesn't say it's for the purpose of a criminal investigation. This is posited as a welfare check." By the numbers: At least 407 unaccompanied minors who entered the U.S. illegally and were detained by immigration authorities have been placed with sponsors in Colorado between October 2024 and May 2025, the Colorado Sun reports from federal data.
USA Today
5 days ago
- Business
- USA Today
Gov. Jared Polis negotiating with Broncos about potential stadium site
The Denver Broncos have been buying up properties around Burnham Yard since September, and now they're attempting to purchase the 58-acre former rail yard from the state. The Broncos have been negotiating with the office of Colorado Gov. Jared Polis about purchasing the Burnham Yard property, according to a report from the Denver Post. That site is one of several locations the team is considering for a potential new stadium, and the club has already spent around $146 million buying adjacent properties. The Broncos had previously mentioned Lone Tree and Aurora as potential stadium sites. Polis hopes to keep the team in Denver. 'The Governor is committed to keeping the Denver Broncos in Colorado, and hopefully in Denver,' Polis spokeswoman Shelby Wieman said in an email to the Denver Post. "Therefore, we support efforts to ensure Colorado remains the home of our Super Bowl champion team.' The Broncos' current lease at Empower Field at Mile High runs through 2031, so if the team is going to build a new stadium, securing a location would be a top priority. Denver's front office has insisted that all options -- including possibly staying at Mile High -- are still on the table, but the team is widely expected to build a new stadium. The Walton-Penner family purchased the Broncos for $4.65 billion in 2022. Related: These 25 celebrities are Broncos fans.
Boston Globe
6 days ago
- Politics
- Boston Globe
Meet the unorthodox governor who could be the MAHA movement's favorite Democrat
Over his years in politics, Polis has — if nothing else — stood out. Advertisement A wealthy tech entrepreneur, he bankrolled early efforts to turn Colorado into a Democratic stronghold before running for office himself — first for Congress, where he served five terms. In 2018, he became the first openly gay man to win a state governorship. Since taking office, he's pursued an agenda with centrist, libertarian, and progressive threads, prioritizing cutting taxes but also making kindergarten fully free in the state. Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up Now, Polis is distinguishing himself as a rare Democrat willing to engage with In an interview with the Globe on Tuesday, Polis declined to praise or criticize Kennedy directly — or talk about him much at all — when asked to assess the secretary's performance. Advertisement Polis expressed 'skepticism and concern with regard to casting aspersions on vaccines that are absolutely critical to protect health and reduce deadly disease incidence.' But where many Democrats have avoided engaging with the 'I mean, we're a proud part of the United States of America, so of course, we're going to work with our own federal government,' Polis said. 'So that means … playing defense where we need to, and it also means seeking opportunities where we can.' The governor argued that as he works with the administration, he's also 'trying to defend and improve and increase vaccine use' and fight sweeping SNAP cuts proposed by Trump's allies in Congress. As Democrats anxiously search for new leaders to meet this moment, Polis has attracted speculation as a contender for the presidency in 2028. And he hasn't exactly shunned the attention. Asked about a presidential campaign, Polis told the Globe that he's 'not thinking about any other job' and that he's focused on 'running through the tape to deliver' as governor until he leaves in January 2027. But he didn't rule out the possibility. Senator John Hickenlooper, the previous Democratic governor of Colorado, predicted that Polis — whom he praised as a 'leader among Democrats' — will 'stay actively engaged' after leaving the governorship. 'He addresses each issue as a unique issue, and he doesn't worry about what other people said or what other people think,' Hickenlooper said. Advertisement Polis may not worry about it, but he draws strong — and often polarizing — reactions in Colorado. In recent years, he's alienated some fellow Democrats, raising doubts about how solid his base would be if he pursued national office. Howard Chou, a former state party vice chair and a Colorado delegate to the Democratic National Committee, argued Polis has become 'very unpopular' within his own party. His openness to Kennedy hasn't helped. 'I'm OK with working with people to get stuff done,' said Chou, 'but also to facilitate some of Kennedy's craziness has not gone off well.' One of Polis's more controversial moves was his recent vetoes of Democratic-backed legislation, especially a bill that would have Through a spokesman, Colorado Democratic Party Chair Shad Murib, who participated in demonstrations against Polis's labor stance, declined to be interviewed. Polis told the Globe he has 'very strong' relationships with Democrats and downplayed any lingering differences. Meanwhile, some Colorado Republicans appreciate his independent streak. 'One of the things I really like about Governor Polis is the fact that he doesn't have to accept every aspect of somebody in order to find the things he can connect with them on,' said Kelly Maher, a GOP strategist who previously worked on efforts to defeat Polis. Polis's unconventional approach, and his interest in issues now close to the MAHA movement, dates back to his time in Congress. In 2015, he was a lead co-sponsor of bipartisan legislation to legalize the sale and shipment of raw milk across state lines. He's since attempted to legalize raw milk in Colorado as governor. Advertisement Broadly, Polis may reflect Colorado's liberal but libertarian-tinged politics as well as its environmentally focused and health-conscious populace — the type of milieu from which Kennedy emerged in the first place. And nowhere in the state are those tendencies stronger than in Polis's hometown of Boulder, In his first year as governor, Polis opposed Democratic-backed legislation intended to increase childhood vaccine uptake in Colorado, objecting to a provision requiring parents to seek a child's vaccine exemption from officials in person. The bill never became law. After the COVID-19 pandemic hit, Polis advocated for the new vaccines and blamed misinformation for packing hospitals with unvaccinated people. 'It's just like, science solved this thing but then people screwed up the solution,' he said in an interview at the time. But the governor also became an early Democrat to lift masking requirements. In welcoming Kennedy's appointment, Polis credited him with opposing vaccine mandates and felt he would 'shake up' the nation's public health establishment. Now, with Colorado's The governor said he only met Kennedy once, at a national governors' event, but that he has worked more closely with Rollins, a self-described 'MAHA mom.' Rollins began working with a handful of governors to align states with MAHA priorities by encouraging them to exclude sugary drinks and other 'ultra-processed' foods from food stamp eligibility. Among the first nine governors to request waivers, Polis was the lone Democrat. Advertisement Noting Colorado is 'a very health-conscious state,' Polis said he was interested in pursuing the waiver as a 'powerful and compelling way to drive down health care costs by reducing chronic disease and preventing diet-related illness.' There's debate among nutrition experts over the possible impacts. Kate Bauer, an associate professor at the University of Michigan who studies SNAP, argued that such waivers 'make life hard for SNAP users and make people not want to be in the program.' As for Polis, he sees more opportunities to work with MAHA, telling the Globe he supports Kennedy's efforts to ban artificial food dyes that have been linked to some health risks. Ted Trimpa, a Colorado Democratic strategist who has known Polis for decades, said that 'what makes Jared authentic' is that he 'understands you have to work with people you don't necessarily agree with.' 'We can't wave a wand and make RFK Jr. go away. You can either try to find glimmers of hope in the craziness … or not,' he added. 'Jared is willing to walk down that path and some politicians aren't. But that's what makes him different.' Sam Brodey can be reached at
Axios
10-06-2025
- Business
- Axios
Colorado Gov. Polis wields power despite lame-duck status
Gov. Jared Polis is a lame duck — but he still holds a veto pen. Why it matters: The term-limited Democrat loomed large in the now-completed legislative term, evidenced by his record 11 vetoes, and his influence sets the stage for his final session in 2026. State of play: A deepening rift between Polis and his fellow Democrats emerged as a major theme from this year's session on issues ranging from artificial intelligence to labor issues. Polis signed 476 of 487 bills into law by last Friday, the deadline — 88% of the new laws included at least one Republican sponsor. He signed business-friendly legislation and rejected measures tightening regulations on technology companies, calling them "what's right for Colorado." Yes, but: The numbers mask the outward tension from the 2025 term that split Democrats. Polis managed to use his veto threat to scuttle numerous other bills to keep them off his desk. He vetoed three bipartisan measures and one to limit ambulance costs that passed with unanimous support. What they're saying:"This isn't the first year where we've had conflict. I think maybe the difference is how visible it might be," House Speaker Julie McCluskie said at a recent event hosted by the Colorado Sun. What we're watching: Asked if he feels like a lame duck, Polis demurred.
