by Rosie Schneider, staff writer
As the Department of Homeland Security ramps up enforcement, immigration arrests have surged to four times their previous level, leaving thousands of families across Colorado scrambling to find resources. Barbaric measures taken by ICE, such as murdering innocent individuals, and violating rights of due process, aim to dehumanize immigrants and normalize the maltreatment of minority communities. In order to better support and protect these communities in Colorado, local legislation needs to expand accessibility of legal representation for immigrants and improve access to work, education, and essential services. Immigration law in the United States has long been exploiting immigrant labor and limiting constitutional rights through restrictive immigration laws (Kashyap 97). The current system capitalizes on the vulnerabilities of these individuals and uses tactful policies to implement discriminatory legislation.
The U.S. economy relies on immigrant labor to sustain production, but due to a lack of protections, immigrants typically end up working undesirable jobs. While they should be celebrated for their contributions, workers instead experience horrendous conditions and receive unfair compensation. Subsequently, legislation in the United States actively works to devalue immigrant citizens, circumventing access to civil liberties such as the Sixth Amendment right that guarantees legal defense for all criminal cases. Expanding access to legal representation for immigrants in Colorado is essential to achieving a more equitable legal system. Currently, detainees are denied the right to a court-appointed lawyer due to a legal workaround that categorizes immigration as a civil matter, opposed to a criminal one. As a result, immigrants who are unable to afford legal representation are forced to represent themselves despite not having adequate knowledge or experience. According to the Colorado Immigration Rights Coalition, “Immigrants with legal representation are 10 times more likely to win their cases” (“Campaign for Universal Representation”).
Additionally, “Immigrants with legal representation are 3.5 times more likely to be released from detention on bond” (“Campaign for Universal Representation”). These statistics demonstrate how critical having legal representation can be. Without proper representation, immigrants are subject to far more punitive measures. This is a major flaw within the legal system that must be rectified. Unjust immigration policies act as a deliberate way to undermine due process and expedite deportation. Such loopholes are extremely detrimental to immigrants and result in unfair punishment. The obvious solution to this issue would be to reform the system at the federal level, and guarantee immigrant detainees be given the right to a lawyer. However, this outcome is unlikely. The more attainable option would be to contribute to funds that provide detainees with financial support for legal services. Donations to immigrant legal defense funds can be made by sending a check to the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment.
Checks can be mailed to: CDLE c/o Jeanni Stefanik and Kit Taintor, 633 17th St, Ste 250, Denver, CO 80202. Supporting organizations such as these is one of many actions that could positively impact the lives of immigrants throughout Colorado. Similarly, expanding access to employment opportunities for immigrants in Colorado is an additional measure that would promote equitability.
At the moment, there are limited options for undocumented immigrants to find work in Colorado. Consequently, workers struggle to find employment, often resorting to jobs that have grueling conditions. The Farm Workers Rights Division of Colorado Legal Services FWRD explains, “Farm workers in Colorado deal with a panoply of work-related issues, including low wages and underpayment or unpaid wages, lack of job security, work-related injuries, occupational hazards (e.g., pesticides, heatstroke), sexual harassment and discrimination” (“The Plight of Farm Workers”). There are minimal protections for farm workers in Colorado, let alone for workers without documentation. These appalling circumstances are endured on a daily basis and cause devastation throughout the community. Aside from pushing for greater legal protections, Colorado could expand accessibility to employment options for undocumented workers by advocating for policies that disregard documentation status as a qualification for employment. Additionally, removing the legal fear of deportation would further incentivize abused workers to speak up. Altogether, these actions would help to dismantle our ineffective legal system.
A secondary barrier immigrants face is the lack of access to education. Expanding interpretation services and translating vital resources and documents would broaden accessibility and, in turn, benefit the community. Non-English speakers constantly jump through hoops in order to understand and participate in our society. This lack of resources disadvantages individuals and inhibits meaningful connection. According to the American Immigration Council, “When people can understand public health guidance, report crimes, enroll their children in school, or access emergency services, entire communities benefit. Language access promotes trust in government and public institutions. It encourages civic engagement, reduces isolation, increases public safety, and ensures that vital services reach the people who need them” (McConnell 8).
Providing language access for immigrants benefits not only individuals, but entire communities. By highlighting positive outcomes, this idea asserts that language services would be an investment in our communities rather than a cost. Language is a public good, and according to census data, roughly 300,000 people in Colorado do not speak English proficiently, (“Colorado – State Language Data”), making the implementation of language accessibility all the more crucial. Lastly, immigrants in Colorado struggle to obtain health insurance or receive health-related care. Colorado has made significant efforts in this regard, passing the “Cover All Coloradans” law, which allows children and pregnant people, regardless of documentation status, to receive full health coverage. While this is a positive step, undocumented adults are still excluded from this law. Expanding access through Medicaid or creating a state-funded insurance program for undocumented adults would encourage people in need to seek care. What’s more, the Journal of Immigrant & Minority Health suggests that “There is well-founded evidence that exclusionary immigration policies produce fear and, as a result, dissuade immigrants from using needed health care” (Young et al. 2).
Every citizen in Colorado is equally important and deserves representatives that pass legislation with their best interest in mind. By stressing the importance of inclusive immigration policy, pressure is put on lawmakers to adhere to higher moral standards.
By broadening the requirements necessary to obtain health insurance in Colorado and eliminating fear-based exclusionary tactics, we could significantly reduce illness and mortality rates among immigrant individuals. Combined, these measures could support the rectification of our unjust legal system and bring communities together. Our local government currently faces an important choice: either reinforce systemic barriers, or move towards a more equitable future. Every citizen in Colorado is equally important and deserves representatives that pass legislation with their best interest in mind. By stressing the importance of inclusive immigration policy, pressure is put on lawmakers to adhere to higher moral standards. When immigrants are supported, communities are more united, economies become more resilient, and power is distributed to the people. By improving access to work, education, and essential services, Colorado could uplift immigrant communities and bolster a more equitable judicial system.
Thankfully, you don’t have to wait around and hope significant changes are made. There are many ways to make an impact today! Aside from donating to defense funds, there are numerous organizations throughout Colorado that assist individuals facing deportation. Casa De Paz, or “house of peace,” is a home in Aurora, CO that offers refuge for detainees after they have been released from the ICE processing facility in Denver. They provide people clean clothes, water, food, and a comfortable place to sleep. I strongly encourage you to check them out, and support their cause if possible.
casadepazcolorado.org/who-we-are
TO REPORT RECENT ICE ACTIVITY OR POLICE/ICE COLLABORATION
CALL THE HOTLINE 844-864-8341
Works Cited
“Campaign for Universal Representation.” Colorado Immigrant Rights Coalition, 24 May 2022, coloradoimmigrant.org/our-work/campaign-for-universal-representation/.
“Colorado – State Language Data.” Migration Policy Institute, www.migrationpolicy.org/data/state-profiles/state/language/CO. Accessed 27 Apr. 2026. Kashyap, Monika Batra. “Toward a Race-Conscious Critique of Mental Health-Related Exclusionary Immigration Laws.”
Michigan Journal of Race & Law, vol. 26, Jan. 2021, pp. 87–111. EBSCOhost, https://doi-org.ccco.idm.oclc.org/10.36643/mjrl.26.sp.toward.
McConnell, Micaela. “Language Access Continues to Be an Important-and Contested-Part of American Life.” American Immigration Council, 7 May 2025, par. 8. www.americanimmigrationcouncil.org/blog/language-access-important-contested-part-of-american-life/.
“The Plight of Farm Workers.” Colorado Legal Services FWRD, www.coloradofarmworkers.org/the-plight-of-farm-workers/. Accessed 22 Mar. 2026.
Young, Maria-Elena De Trinidad, et al. “Recent Exclusionary Immigration Policy Experiences Are Associated with Worse Asian and Latino Immigrant Health.” Journal of Immigrant & Minority Health, Feb. 2026, pp. 1–9. EBSCOhost, https://doi-org.ccco.idm.oclc.org/10.1007/s10903-026-01866-3.
