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Friday, Jul 31, 2026

Does Colorado law allow immigration arrests at courthouses? 

Cassis Tingley, The Colorado Sun
no

A 2020 state law bars authorities from arresting people for civil offenses, including most immigration violations, while they are going to, attending and coming from court proceedings in Colorado.

That includes local, state and federal law enforcement, and covers courthouses and the areas surrounding them, including sidewalks, green space and parking lots. The law aims to preserve access to courts for all Coloradans.

Most immigration- and visa-related violations are civil offenses. The law does not prevent officers from making arrests for criminal offenses. 

In 2025, two Colorado judges found that federal agents in some parts of the state made civil immigration arrests at courthouses despite the law. Both judges ordered a stop to the practice. 

Federal immigration authorities arrested at least 3,500 people in Colorado between Jan. 20, 2025, and Oct. 15, 2025, more than four times the number of arrests for that period in 2024. 

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