Colorado Voters Reject Amendment 81, Upholding Local Law Enforcement Cooperation Policies
Colorado voters have rejected Amendment 81, a ballot measure that would have mandated local law enforcement agencies to cooperate with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) by reporting individuals charged with certain crimes or whose legal status was undetermined. The measure's…
Colorado Springs Pueblo, CO, November 4, 2026 — In a significant decision, Colorado voters have rejected Amendment 81, a statewide ballot measure that aimed to change how local law enforcement agencies interact with federal immigration authorities. The outcome means that existing state laws governing cooperation between local police and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) will remain in effect.
Amendment 81 proposed a mandate requiring local law enforcement agencies across Colorado to cooperate with ICE. This cooperation would have included reporting individuals to ICE under specific circumstances. The individuals in question were described in the measure as those charged with certain crimes or those whose legal status within the United States was undetermined. The ballot measure sought to establish a new, stricter protocol for these interactions.
The rejection of Amendment 81 by Colorado voters signifies a continuation of the current legal framework within the state regarding immigration enforcement cooperation. The specific details of the existing state laws that will continue to apply were not provided in the trend summary. Similarly, the specific categories of “certain crimes” that Amendment 81 would have addressed were not detailed.
The failure of the amendment means that Colorado’s local law enforcement agencies will not be legally compelled by this specific statewide mandate to alter their current practices concerning cooperation with ICE. The trend summary did not provide information regarding the vote count, the margin of victory for the rejection, or the specific arguments presented by proponents or opponents of the amendment.
The implications of this vote are that the status quo in terms of state law on local law enforcement’s cooperation with federal immigration enforcement will be preserved. Further details regarding the scope of existing state laws or any forthcoming adjustments in policy by local agencies were not available in the trend summary provided.
Story summarized from the original created by Karen Schweihs on gazette.com, see more information here.
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