The suburbs around the Denver area are weighing filing a lawsuit against the sanctuary city over the massive uptick in immigrant arrivals that has brought with it an increase in gang activity.
The Castle Rock Town Council recently passed a motion this month instructing the town's attorney to consider a lawsuit against Denver. The city's sanctuary policies have allowed more than 42,000 immigrants to pour into the area while shielding them from federal immigration officials.
'We understand that there is a storm coming.'
The motion was put forth by Castle Rock City Council member Max Brooks, who told KCNC-TV, "This isn't just a decision that Denver gets to make because it's impacting the rest of the Front Range. So the idea is to join with other municipalities and say it's time to stop."
"Our town attorney's office has already had conversations with the county attorney with Douglas County, already had conversations with the city of Aurora, and also had conversations with the city of Parker," Brooks stated, indicating that other municipalities have expressed interest in joining a potential lawsuit.
According to KCNC, Parker and Aurora are also weighing joining the lawsuit.
"I don't want a dime from Denver, I just don't want them to continue to have a policy that is having a negative impact on the Front Range," he continued. "You don't wait until the hurricane is on you to board up your windows and leave town. We understand that there is a storm coming."
Brooks noted that the increase of immigrants arriving in Douglas County has led to "instances of crime."
"This isn't about labeling and saying the migrants need to be deported. It's not about that. It's about stopping and making sure we're not bringing in any more when obviously Denver is not able to handle what's already happened," he added.
Some parts of Aurora have recently been rocked by an increased presence of the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua, with reports that the violent group has taken over several apartment complexes.
Aurora City Council member Danielle Jurinsky has blamed the gang's activity on Denver's sanctuary policies.
"In the entire Denver metro area, it has been like pulling teeth to get anyone, the media, other elected officials, to get anyone to acknowledge the presence of this trend and to acknowledge that there is even a problem," Jurinsky previously told Fox News Digital.
However, Colorado Gov. Jared Polis (D) has claimed that the TDA's invasion of some apartment complexes is largely a figment of Jurinksy's "imagination."
Earlier this year, several counties filed a lawsuit against Denver, claiming its policies "create dangerous conditions" for Colorado residents and immigrants, Blaze News previously reported. Douglas, El Paso, Elbert, Garfield, Mesa, and Rio Blanco Counties all joined that complaint.
Douglas County Undersheriff Dave Walcher stated at the time, "The mission of all of us is to keep this county safe that is my job to keep Douglas County residents safe and what we've seen over the last several years dating back to 2019 in one of the bills that was discussed is the fact that it limits our ability to work with ICE [Immigration and Customs Enforcement]."
Cited in the complaint are Colorado House 19-1124 and 23-1100, which the counties called "illegal and unconstitutional" for undermining federal immigration laws and regulations.
The legislation prohibits state law enforcement agents from sharing information regarding illegal immigrants with federal immigration officials.
District 2 Commissioner George Teal previously told KNUS, "We have a laundry list of counties and municipalities across the state who are just aching to join us on this," referring to the lawsuit.
Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!
Colorado Governor Jared Polis, a Democrat, claimed Wednesday that reports that a violent Venezuelan gang, Tren de Aragua, has invaded parts of the state are largely the figment of a city councilwoman's "imagination."
Polis released the comments after KDVR, a local news outlet, shared a video of a group of men carrying firearms while storming through an apartment complex in Aurora, Blaze News reported. A separate video of the same residence taken at what seems to be an earlier time captured a man using a hammer to destroy the door's deadbolt lock.
'Misinformation campaign threatens actual criminal investigations.'
The news outlet reported that illegal immigrants have taken over the apartment complex, which has since become a hot spot for criminal activity, including violent shoot-outs.
Aurora City Council member Danielle Jurinsky recently told Fox News Digital that the Denver metropolitan area has been experiencing more gang-related crime.
As a result of the increased presence of TDA, the Aurora Police Department formed a special task force. However, police have noted that TDA's influence is "isolated" at this time.
Despite the video evidence and police reports of the gang's activity, Polis claimed that TDA's alleged takeover is largely "imagination."
Shelby Wieman, a spokesperson for the governor, told the New York Post, "The governor has already let the mayor know that the state is ready to support the local police department with assistance from state troopers and the Colorado Bureau of Investigation if needed."
"But according to police intelligence, this purported invasion is largely a feature of Danielle Jurinsky's imagination," Polis' spokesperson added.
Wieman told the Post that it is "illegal to take over buildings in Colorado" and that if Jurinsky has "knowledge" of such activity, Polis' office is "ready to assist" local law enforcement agencies in reclaiming the properties.
According to Aurora Mayor Mike Coffman (R), "there are several buildings" that have "fallen to these Venezuelan gangs."
The Post asked Polis' office whether it would like to retract its previous statements given the overwhelming evidence of TDA's presence in Aurora, but Wieman replied that the governor "really hopes that the city council members in charge stop trashing their own city when they are supposed to keep it safe."
"Over the last month, Governor Polis has been in regular contact with the city of Aurora and the Aurora Police Department and has offered all state assistance to support their efforts if requested," Wieman said.
Jurinsky told Fox News Digital, "My question back to the governor is: Is this also a figment of the Romeros' imagination?"
Cindy and Edward Romero, former residents of the Aurora apartment where the armed men were caught on surveillance footage storming through the complex, called living there "a nightmare." They reported that their vehicle was riddled with bullets from a shoot-out that took place this month before they moved out.
"There are people behind this that are solely playing politics," Jurinsky said. "That is so sad to me because they're real human beings, just like the Romeros suffering on the other side of those doors, living behind four deadbolt locks and a door brace and living in fear every day in these complexes."
"It is very promising that across the board, people are really seeing what is happening," she continued. "Video footage is only undeniable for our governor in Colorado. Everybody else across the country is seeing this for themselves."
Wieman told the news outlet, "We know violent crime in Aurora went down between 2022 and 2023, fully expect the data will show further declines for 2024, and the recent misinformation campaign threatens actual criminal investigations and could hurt the climate for small businesses in Aurora."
Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!
A Colorado school district recently updated its "LGBTQ+ tool kit," revealing what additional steps educators and staff are taking to indoctrinate those young Americans within its reach, particularly on the topics of sexuality and gender.
The document, which appears on various DPS school sites and was recently detailed in a Daily Caller report, indicates that students in Denver Public Schools will be unable to avoid LGBT propaganda; that their parents cannot effectively opt them out of content on-theme; and that parental consent will be sidestepped on various issues.
Denver Public Schools' tool kit details the district's various schemes and policies hatched with the stated purpose of supporting its non-straight and gender dysphoric students, staff, and families. The district has over 200 schools and 4,780 teachers, roughly 90,000 students, and 10,177 employees.
'There is no opt-out for LGBTQ+ topics.'
The tool kit notes that "age-appropriate LGBTQ+ topics are considered a part of DPS's commitment to equity and inclusion, just as all other topics related to equity and inclusion (for example, immigration, racism, ableism, etc.)."
State Democrats passed legislation in 2019 requiring the inclusion of content about the accomplishments of non-straight people in Colorado's Social Studies Standards and curriculum. The DPS' kit intimated, however, that the district need not stop at inserting LGBT content into history, civics, and social studies classes; that it could go further and push such propaganda "in all areas."
While parents can still opt their children out of sex-ed specific classes — which, per policy, refrain from discussing an abstinence-only approach to avoiding disease and pregnancy — the DPS indicated in its tool kit that such withdrawal would not spare students from "all discussions of gender, family, and/or sexual diversity at school."
"There is no opt-out for LGBTQ+ topics," stated the tool kit, which the Daily Caller reported was updated in July.
Although the district appears keen to tailor curricula and policy to a minority of non-straight community members, its tool kit noted, "DPS cannot tailor individual lessons, content, or classrooms because a family, student, or staff may have different values."
Having previously noted that LGBT propaganda falls under the umbrella of "equity and inclusion," the tool kit makes expressly clear; "Parent permission is not required to teach about topics of equity and inclusion."
DPS appears keen to sidestep parents in other ways as well.
In the case of children who are confused about their sexuality and "gender identity," the tool kit stresses: "Do not out the student to anyone."
"Do not share information about a student's transition without their express, documented consent," adds the tool kit.
Extra to helping students conceal their confusion, DPS will gladly use a "student's self-asserted name and/or pronouns at school" without parental/guardian notification or permission. The district will also allow students to change their name and pronouns in district record systems without either parental permission or legal documentation.
When confronted with a gender dysphoric student, the tool kit recommends partnering the student with a staff member "supportive of LGBTQ+ topics" to think through a "Gender Support Plan."
The kit suggests further how educators and school staff members are to usurp parental authority and adopt a familial role when it appears parents may not be onboard with promoting a child's confusion:
The educator or administrator should ask whether the student's family is accepting to avoid inadvertently putting the student at risk of more significant harm by discussing it with the student's family. Based on that information, the school and student should determine how to proceed through the collaborative process of figuring out how the school can support the student and balance the student's need to be affirmed at school with the reality that the student does not have that support at home.
The tool kit also details how transvestic students can choose to use the restrooms and locker rooms that best indulge their delusion and that they are allowed to go on overnight trips, alll the while having their real biological sexes kept a secret from other students and their parents.
The Daily Caller indicated that DPS could not be reached for comment.
Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!A video from an Aurora, Colorado, apartment shows a group of men with firearms storming through the complex, which has reportedly been taken over by Tren de Aragua, a violent Venezuelan gang.
The footage, obtained by KDVR, shows five men, four of whom were carrying guns, pounding on the door to a residence at the Edge at Lowry. Moments later, the door appears to open from the inside before the men enter the apartment.
'Nobody is helping the Americans that are trapped in these apartment complexes.'
A separate video taken at what seems to be an earlier time captured two men standing outside the same residence. One of the men can be seen using a hammer to destroy the door's deadbolt lock.
Between the two videos, the apartment door appears to have been replaced.
KDVR reported that illegal immigrants have taken over the complex. Since then, the property has become a hotspot for criminal activity.
According to the residents who captured the videos, a shootout occurred at the complex shortly before the footage of the armed men was taken. The incident left one individual seriously injured, and several vehicles were damaged.
Former residents Cindy and Edward Romero told KDVR that living at the Aurora complex had become "a nightmare."
The Romeros' vehicle was riddled with bullets from a shootout that occurred earlier this month.
The couple stated that they had trouble getting local organizations to assist them with moving out but were ultimately able to leave, thanks to Aurora City Council member Danielle Jurinsky.
Jurinsky told KDVR, "The city nonprofits have lined up to help the migrants that have come here but nobody is helping the Americans that are trapped in these apartment complexes."
"This isn't just Americans. Other Venezuelans are being extorted by this gang," she added.
According to Jurinsky, TDA has overrun the apartment complex.
Jurinsky told Fox News Digital, “In the entire Denver metro area, it has been like pulling teeth to get anyone, the media, other elected officials, to get anyone to acknowledge the presence of this trend and to acknowledge that there is even a problem.”
Aurora previously passed a resolution stating that it would not provide resources to illegal immigrants arriving in the city. However, approximately nine miles away, the sanctuary city of Denver is spending generous amounts of taxpayers' funds on illegal aliens. Denver's promise of assistance is attracting more individuals to the area, who are then spilling over into Aurora.
The Aurora Police Department has formed a special task force to "specifically address concerns" regarding TDA and "other criminal activity affecting migrant communities."
The city has confirmed that it is "increasingly collecting evidence to show the gang is connected to crimes in the area." However, city officials stated that the TDA's influence is "isolated."
The massive uptick in illegal immigrants arriving in the Denver and Aurora areas has prompted increased costs and homelessness.
A recent poll found that Colorado residents' top concern is the area's cost of living, followed by homelessness, cost of health care, drug overdoses, crime, mental health, jobs and the economy, and illegal immigration.
Dave Metz, president of Democratic-aligned FM3 Research, stated, "This year's Pulse Poll results don't just show that Coloradans perceive housing issues as a problem — they see them as a crisis."
Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!
A three-judge panel on the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that the federal government has the authority to deport illegal immigrants even if local leaders try to impede the process. The case arose after King County Executive Dow Constantine issued an executive order in 2019 that instructed county officials to prohibit “fixed base operators” […]
www.theblaze.com
freebeacon.com