Judge Dismisses DOJ Lawsuit Against Colorado Sanctuary Laws

Ruling upholds state and local authority to limit cooperation with federal immigration enforcement.

Apr. 1, 2026 at 12:00am

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A federal judge has thrown out a Department of Justice lawsuit that accused Colorado and its largest city, Denver, of interfering with the enforcement of immigration laws through so-called 'sanctuary' policies. The judge ruled that the state and city have the right to refuse to use their resources to implement a federal regulatory program.

Why it matters

This decision affirms the ability of state and local governments to set their own policies around immigration enforcement, even if those policies conflict with federal priorities. It's a significant victory for the 'sanctuary' movement, which seeks to limit local cooperation with federal immigration authorities.

The details

The DOJ lawsuit challenged four state laws and two Denver ordinances that limited how state and local law enforcement could assist federal immigration agents. The judge ruled that Colorado and Denver were within their rights to refuse to expend their own resources on a federal regulatory program.

  • The lawsuit was filed by the Department of Justice on March 1, 2026.
  • The federal judge issued the ruling dismissing the lawsuit on April 1, 2026.

The players

Colorado

The state of Colorado, which passed laws limiting cooperation with federal immigration enforcement.

Denver

The city of Denver, which passed ordinances limiting cooperation with federal immigration authorities.

Department of Justice

The U.S. Department of Justice, which filed the lawsuit challenging Colorado and Denver's 'sanctuary' policies.

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What’s next

The Department of Justice has not indicated whether it plans to appeal the judge's ruling.

The takeaway

This decision is a significant victory for the 'sanctuary' movement, upholding the ability of state and local governments to set their own policies around immigration enforcement even when they conflict with federal priorities.