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This memorandum provides an overview on the federal immigration system, Colorado’s role in immigration, and patterns of immigration in the state and nationally. It then discusses the impact of immigration on different sectors of the economy and state government programs and services, and highlights recent state legislation to address these issues.

In recent months, concern over the United States' immigration policies has prompted interest in immigration policy reform at both the state and federal levels. According to recent reports, there are anywhere from 11.5 to 12.0 million undocumented immigrants currently living in the United States.

During the 2018 legislative session, the General Assembly considered measures related to identification documents and work authorization for non-U.S. citizens, sanctuary policies and cooperation with federal immigration officials, and tuition policies for certain immigrants.

This issue brief describes major topics of interest related to immigration, and specifically regarding the enforcement of immigration laws and laws regarding the verification of a person's eligilibity to work in the United States.  The brief also describes legislative efforts in Colorado concerning these topics, the differences between state and federal immigration laws, and role the state plays in enforcing federal immigration laws.

The U.S. federal government holds exclusive authority to regulate immigration, including who may enter the country and under what conditions. Nevertheless, states can enact laws that impact immigrants and influence the enforcement of federal immigration laws, provided that these state laws do not conflict with federal law. This issue brief outlines current state and federal laws affecting immigration in Colorado, including immigration enforcement, the Office of New Americans, access to public services, health insurance coverage, and identification.

During the 2024 legislative session, the General Assembly considered bills concerning state government, including addressing topics related to elected officials, state agencies, the Colorado Open Records Act, and accessibility. Additionally, the General Assembly considered legislation addressing various immigration matters.

The 2023 Colorado General Assembly considered a range of state government and immigration bills related to detention facilities, government records, legislative committees, workplace standards, and public buildings.

During the 2021 legislative session, the General Assembly considered several measures concerning immigration and immigrants.  The bills addressed immigration services, benefits, and protections, as well as health care, child welfare, employment matters, personal identifying information, and criminal justice.