Denver Joins Amicus Briefs Defending Local Immigration Policies

Denver Joins Amicus Briefs Defending Local Immigration Policies

Published on February 17, 2026

Mayor Mike Johnston today announced Denver has joined two amicus briefs challenging the Trump Administration's authority to defund and punish what it describes as "sanctuary cities".

The briefs were filed in support of Minneapolis, Minnesota and Rochester, New York, cities that, like Denver, are fighting back against the White House's baseless attempts to rewrite local and state law in violation of the U.S. Constitution. In these briefs, Denver argues the policies that President Trump feels so threatened by make cities safer and are economically beneficial.

"Denver's historic drop in homicides and crime was accomplished by building trust in our communities, not by tearing it down like the Trump Administration has done in Minneapolis and across the country," said Mayor Mike Johnston. "All of our residents, immigrant or not, know that if they have a crime to report our police are here to listen and help. The benefits extend to our economy, which has long enjoyed the brainpower, hard work, and ingenuity immigrants offer. Or as we call them here, Denverites."

Denver has filed five lawsuits and five amicus briefs against the Trump Administration to preserve Congressionally appropriated funding, push back against National Guard and ICE deployments in cities, protect reproductive rights, and preserve the city's values around equity, diversity, and immigration.

The city is aggressively litigating a lawsuit, similar to the ones objected to in these briefs, that was filed by the Trump Administration against Denver. Mayor Johnston also recently joined leaders from across the country in calling for any future Homeland Security funding to be contingent on holistic reforms, like wearing body cameras and removing masks.

Read the briefs here and here.

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