CIRC Action in the News

November 21, 2020 | Westword

Julie Gonzales was in her senior year of high school when federal lawmakers introduced the DREAM Act, designed to grant deportation relief, secure the right to work, and eventually offer permanent residency to undocumented immigrants who were brought to the United States as children. Nineteen years later, the DREAM Act has yet to be passed, and related iterations of the proposal have come and gone.

November 19, 2020 | The Denver Post

When 18-year-old Apshara Siwakoti cast her ballot on Nov. 3, she felt a sense of relief. Up until the day before, she didn’t think she could vote. Siwakoti immigrated with her family to the United States at the age of 8 after leaving a refugee camp in Nepal. She became a naturalized citizen in 2018 when her mother obtained her citizenship.

November 11, 2020 | Westword

Following the passage of Amendment 76, which changed Colorado Constitution language regarding voting eligibility from “every citizen of the United States” to “only a citizen of the United States,” a town in southwest Colorado that already allows non-citizens to vote in local elections is feeling confident that it will be able to continue to do so.

October 30, 2020 | El Comercio De Colorado

I’ve grown up in Pueblo, Colorado all of my life. My grandpa, Nicholas Rodriguez really shaped me to become the person I am today. He was a social worker and was heavily involved in advocating for health care rights for everyone. Growing up he would make us practice the speeches that he would write for other Mexican-Americans running for office. 

October 23, 2020 | Colorado Times Recorder

Thirty-two Colorado Democratic state lawmakers signed a letter released Monday by the ACLU urging Coloradans to vote no on Amendment 76, a ballot measure that asks voters if the Colorado Constitution should be changed from stating that “every citizen” of the U.S. over the age of 18 can vote to “only a citizen” of the U.S. over the age of 18 can vote.

October 21, 2020 | Westword

GEO Group, a massive private prison company that is heavily involved with immigrant detention, has gone all in on Cory Gardner in Colorado’s U.S. Senate race.

October 15, 2020 | Colorado Newsline

In Colorado alone, an estimated 59,806 people will have become naturalized U.S. citizens from 2014 through 2020. They represent a significant enough portion of the electorate to potentially shape the results of Colorado’s upcoming U.S. Senate race and other statewide elections.

October 9, 2020 | Colorado Politics

ProgressNow Colorado, the state’s largest progressive advocacy group, is out with its Voter Guide Friday morning, the same day ballots hit the mail to Colorado voters.

The deep dive from the left covers the issues and candidates. 

October 1, 2020 | Colorado Newsline

Citing anonymous officials, the Washington Post reported Sept. 29 that Immigration and Customs Enforcement was planning an “immigration enforcement blitz” in several so-called “sanctuary cities” — including Denver — that refuse to cooperate with federal immigration officials.

September 24, 2020 | Denver Post / The Spot

Last night, protesters gathered in downtown Denver over the fact that no officers are being directly charged in the killing of Breonna Taylor. Similar demonstrations took place in many other cities.

September 8, 2020 | Aurora Sentinel

Editor: In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Congress enacted three legislative packages to fortify the nation’s health care infrastructure, expand access to testing and treatment,and promote economic recovery. And yet, immigrants were completely excluded from these legislative packages.

As a child of an immigrant family I have seen the trials and tabulations in trying to raise a family in a country that undervalues the workforce that has built this nation. Immigrants have continued to put themselves in danger because they know no other way. Always on the frontlines and here to serve our communities.

September 8, 2020 | Aurora Sentinel

Editor: As the Senate returns to Congress and talks begin of another COVID-19 relief bill, we must not forget the ones who the Trump Administration has chosen to ignore: Undocumented immigrants in America.

Immigrants represent 17% of the overall U.S. civilian workforce, they are 28% of physicians and 24% of dentists, for example, as well as 38% of home health aides.

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Congress enacted three legislative packages to fortify the nation’s health care infrastructure, expand access to testing and treatment, and promote economic recovery; and yet, Congress consistently excluded immigrants from these legislative packages.

May 30, 2020 | CPR

The two remaining candidates in Colorado’s U.S. Senate Democratic primary race discussed racial justice on Saturday in their second forum ahead of the June 30 primary. The event, organized by numerous groups including the Colorado Black Women for Political Action, the Colorado Immigrant Rights Coalition Action Fund , the Colorado Latino Forum, and Colorado Rising, ended with a real-time poll of the hundreds of people who listened in remotely.

May 29, 2019 | Denver Post

West Denver has a rare thing in the 2019 election cycle: an open seat.

Two candidates, Jamie Torres and Veronica Barela, are competing in the runoff for the District 3 City Council seat, seeking to represent an area that stretches from Mile High Stadium through gentrifying Latino neighborhoods along Federal Boulevard.

Torres and Barela both aim for greater community engagement to navigate the looming development wave, but they differ in their experience and views on density.

November 19, 2018 | Denver Post

Conservation Colorado, a political nonprofit that advocates for environmental policies, spent more than $4.6 million — a record for the group — to help Democrats take the levers of state government this month.

CIRC Action Fund, which works to protect immigrant rights, knocked on 86,649 doors across the Colorado, most of their efforts concentrated in key state Senate districts.

August 8, 2016 | Colorado Independent

Is this a sign of the Hispanic political tsunami?

A coalition of Hispanic and progressive groups announced Wednesday that Colorado will be one of three states where thousands of Latinos will be encouraged to exercise their political power at the ballot box.

September 9, 2014 | America’s Voice

At the Atlantic today is a great Molly Ball piece tracing the evolution of immigration reform in recent years, and explaining just why advocates are so furious about President Obama delaying executive action on immigration and deportations.  Immigration reform has been punted on by Republicans and Democrats alike, and the immigrant community is tired of politicians making promises, then breaking them when the going gets rough.  Read quotes from our Executive Director, Frank Sharry, about this disappointment below.