Seattle judge blocks Trump’s birthright citizenship executive order
A Seattle judge ruled President Trump’s birthright citizenship order is “blatantly unconstitutional” after Democrats from four states sued him.
A series of efforts tightening immigration restrictions early on in Donald Trump’s second presidential term may have a direct impact on Pueblo schools, law enforcement agencies and other institutions.
Acting U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Benjamine Huffman announced a pair of directives on Jan. 21 to end the “invasion” of immigrants from the country’s southern border. One of these directives allows U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to make arrests in schools, churches, hospitals and at public demonstrations.
Huffman’s announcement followed a barrage of executive orders signed by Trump on Jan. 20, including the declaration of a “national emergency at the Southern border” that calls for mass deportations, use of the U.S. military and other resources to combat illegal immigration.
On Jan. 22, the U.S. Department of Justice ordered prosecutors to investigate state and local barriers to Trump’s immigration restricting efforts, according to USA Today.
Gayle Perez, a public information officer for the Pueblo County Sheriff’s Office, said the office currently abides by Colorado state statute and does not directly notify ICE of an individual’s immigration status in a statement shared with the Chieftain. However, information about those booked into jail may make their way to ICE via the FBI.
“The fingerprints are submitted to the FBI for criminal history and warrant checks,” Perez said. “FBI sends the same data to ICE so ICE can determine whether they want a hold on the individual. It is up to ICE to contact our jail to request a hold on an individual, but they must provide a warrant or writ signed by a federal judge or magistrate for us.”
In a separate statement Thursday evening, Pueblo Sheriff David Lucero said while his office will work with ICE in matters of criminal location and apprehension, the PCSO will not participate in or support any deportation roundups.
Pueblo Police Department Community Engagement Manager Bianca Hicks told the Chieftain that Pueblo PD also adheres to state statutes, does not enforce with regards to immigration status, and has not received any directives from ICE to change its operations.
“When and if ICE has conversations with our local departments, then we’ll see where that goes from there,” she said. “But at this time, none of those conversations have happened.”
Pueblo school districts and colleges speak on restrictions, executive orders
Pueblo Community College President Chato Hazelbaker told the Chieftain the college is in “wait-and-see mode,” when it comes to Trump’s crackdown on immigration and its effects on the college. In the meantime, he said PCC will remain committed to educating students while being guided by the Colorado Community College System’s legal counsel.
“I’m afraid that some of these executive orders might be discouraging students from coming to school,” he said. “I don’t have any evidence that that’s happening, but it’s a concern that it might discourage some folks from seeking higher education, and we just hope that we can do whatever we can so that that doesn’t happen.”
While having a responsibility to be a community resource for students, Hazelbaker also said the school has a responsibility as a quasi-government agency to remain informed about the law and follow it.
With at least 25% of its students identifying as Hispanic, PCC has been a designated Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) for decades. Colorado State University Pueblo, also an HSI, shared a statement with the Chieftain about the potential impacts of immigration restrictions.
“At CSU Pueblo, we will continue to support all our students to be successful in pursuing their education,” CSU Pueblo Public Information Officer Gena Alfonso said in the statement.
Pueblo School District 60 Director of Communications Dalton Sprouse said in a statement shared with the Chieftain that the district prioritizes keeping students safe and reaffirms the Supreme Court’s 1982 Plyler v. Doe decision ensuring public education access to all students regardless of immigration status.
“Additionally, federal and state laws prohibit discrimination and harassment of students on the basis of protected classes,” Sprouse’s statement reads. “In D60, we are committed to providing all of our students with a positive, safe, and nurturing learning environment, free of harassment and discrimination, and without regard to immigration status.”
In their own statement, Pueblo County School District 70 officials said they are “steadfast in our commitment to fostering a positive, inclusive and nurturing learning environment where all students feel respected, protected and empowered to thrive.”
“While we remain focused on ensuring welcoming spaces for every child in our community, we will also comply with all state and federal laws,” the district’s statement reads.
Colorado AG challenging Trump’s order to end birthright citizenship
Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser is joining a coalition of attorneys representing 18 states, Washington D.C., the city of San Francisco and San Francisco County to challenge Trump’s executive order to end birthright citizenship in the United States.
Trump’s Jan. 20 executive order, “Protecting the Meaning and Value of American Citizenship” asserts that the 14th Amendment of the United States Constitution does not grant citizenship to everyone born on U.S. soil regardless of their parents’ immigration status.
In a Jan. 23 news release, Weiser said Trump’s executive order to end birthright citizenship is “flatly unconstitutional.”
“The idea that a president could override the Constitution with the stroke of a pen is a flagrant assault on the rule of law and our constitutional republic,” Weiser said. “The executive order cannot be allowed to stand, and I will fight to ensure that all who are born in the United States keep their right to fully and fairly be a part of American society as a citizen with all its benefits and privileges.”
Pablo de la Rosa Santiago, Interim Director of Communications with the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Colorado, told the Chieftain that the ACLU’s national office also has sued the Trump administration over the birthright citizenship order.
Pueblo Chieftain reporter James Bartolo can be reached at [email protected]. Support local news, subscribe to the Pueblo Chieftain at subscribe.chieftain.com.
Source link : http://www.bing.com/news/apiclick.aspx?ref=FexRss&aid=&tid=6799508dc4884475a3ebd7ea475739c5&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.usatoday.com%2Fstory%2Fnews%2F2025%2F01%2F28%2Fhow-trumps-immigration-policies-may-impact-pueblo-colorado%2F77748104007%2F&c=13868167983925732862&mkt=en-us
Author :
Publish date : 2025-01-27 22:01:00
Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.
