In an information graphic comparing the positions of Colorado gubernatorial candidates Bill Ritter (D) and Bob Beauprez (R) on immigration, The Denver Post on August 17 repeated a misleading statement on Beauprez's campaign website that, according to Beauprez, “We must end this business of 'sanctuary cities.' ” Neither the graphic nor the Post article it accompanied explained that a Colorado law already prohibits such “sanctuary” policies, defined by the statute as “local government ordinances or policies that prohibit local officials, including peace officers, from communicating or cooperating with federal officials with regard to the immigration status of any person within the state.” Moreover, the Rocky Mountain News has reported that according to an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) spokesman, no known city in Colorado “has a policy against calling ICE.”

The accompanying August 17 article by Post staff writer Mark P. Couch reported, “Most of the things that both candidates advocate -- cracking down on employing illegal immigrants, preventing them from getting state services and aid -- have been addressed by the laws adopted this year.” But Couch did not specify* that “sanctuary cities” -- the first issue listed for Beauprez in the information graphic -- also are banned under a Colorado statute enacted May 1. The Post itself reported May 5 that the statute “prohibits any local government from approving ordinances or initiatives that limit police or government employees from cooperating with federal immigration officials” and that it “also requires law enforcement officers to report any person arrested for a criminal offense who they suspect is undocumented to Immigration and Customs Enforcement.”

Moreover, as Colorado Media Matters previously noted, the Rocky Mountain News reported June 11 that a News investigation “found that some local law-enforcement officials indeed fail to turn in immigrants, including some criminals they know are here illegally. But it has nothing to do with any sanctuary policy.” According to the News, local officials “say they know ICE lacks the people or places to deal with them, a message ICE officials have delivered personally. And local jails are too full to hold them while deportation orders are processed.” The News article also quoted Carl Rusnok, an ICE spokesman for Colorado, saying: “There aren't any cities in Colorado that refuse to call us. ... I know of no Colorado city that has a policy against calling ICE.”

According to the News, “Denver sends ICE the names of jailed foreign-born inmates. So do other counties in Colorado.”

This is not the first time the Post has uncritically repeated a Republican candidate's statements about “sanctuary” cities. As Colorado Media Matters previously noted, a July 25 Post story repeated an incorrect assertion by Jeff Crank, a Republican congressional candidate in Colorado's 5th District, that Denver is a so-called “sanctuary city” and uncritically noted that Crank said he would introduce legislation to end federal funding to so-called sanctuary cities.

From Couch's August 17 Denver Post article, “Rivals spar on illegal entries”:

Colorado's gubernatorial candidates attacked each other over illegal immigration on Wednesday -- stoking an issue that has burned in state politics all year.

The sparring between Republican Bob Beauprez and Democrat Bill Ritter, however, takes place as Colorado has adopted the most laws to restrict illegal immigrants of any state.

[...]

Most of the things that both candidates advocate -- cracking down on employing illegal immigrants, preventing them from getting state services and aid -- have been addressed by the laws adopted this year.

From the August 17 Denver Post's accompanying information graphic, “Gubernatorial candidates on illegal immigration”:

Republican Congressman Bob Beauprez

We must end this business of “sanctuary cities.”

We need to implement a quick, affordable, and accurate method that employers can use to ensure they are not hiring illegal workers.

We need to adopt the policy that Colorado will not allow state tax dollars to be spent on illegal immigrants beyond what the law requires. Our state agencies must lead by example and enforce compliance of taxpayer-funded benefit restrictions to illegal immigrants.

We need to make sure our local law enforcement officials are empowered to enforce our immigration laws.

Finally, I will lead a coalition of governors to demand real, meaningful immigration reform from Washington, D.C.

*UPDATE: In response to this item, Denver Post reporter Mark Couch stated to Colorado Media Matters on August 18 that his original, unedited draft of the story included the following wording that described the existing Colorado law prohibiting the adoption of “sanctuary” policies, which did not appear in the published version of his story:

Beauprez says he wants to end “this business of 'sanctuary' cities.”

Earlier this year, lawmakers passed and the governor signed a law preventing cities from adopting so-called sanctuary policies.

Under the new law, local governments cannot adopt policies that prohibit law-enforcement agents from communicating with federal immigration officials regarding the immigration status of people they arrest.

Couch also stated that the Post did not publish a second information graphic that, like his original draft of the story, noted the existing Colorado law prohibiting cities from adopting “sanctuary” policies. [return to article ]