DENVER -- The Ralph Carr Freedom Defense Act has been approved by Colorado’s House Judiciary Committee and is now on its way to the full House for debate.
The bill is sponsored by State Rep. Joseph Salazar, D-Adams County, and State Rep. Daneya Esgar, D-Pueblo. On this week’s Politics Unplugged, they tell Denver7’s Nicole Brady the bill is meant to head off involvement by Colorado law enforcement officials in any potential federal government efforts to illegally or unconstitutionally target Coloradans for monitoring or detention based on race, ethnicity, national origin, immigration status or religious affiliation.
“I think the message is clear,” Rep. Esgar said. “We want to protect Coloradans from any kind of terrorizing overreach that comes down from the Federal government just like the internment directive that came down so many years ago.”
Esgar is referring to the 1942 executive order by President Franklin Roosevelt that setup Japanese internment camps across the U.S. during World War II. Colorado Governor Ralph Carr, a Republican, made national headlines for his opposition to the order.
Rep. Salazar says while the Ralph Carr Freedom Defense Act protects the rights of citizens, it does not make Colorado a sanctuary for criminals.
“The bill doesn’t prohibit law enforcement from arresting people who committed a crime,” Rep. said. “A lot of people are like ‘you just want criminals to run free.’ No, that’s not what this bill does. Anyone who commits a crime still gets arrested.”
Politics Unplugged airs Sundays at 4:30 a.m. and 4 p.m. on Denver7.
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