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Case Summary

• Two Mesa County deputies disciplined for sharing information with ICE during a drug task force operation.
• Deputy Alexander Zwinck sued under a new state law signed by Gov. Jared Polis; both deputies removed from task force and placed on unpaid leave.
• Tensions flare between state sanctuary policies and federal immigration enforcement, raising questions about “lawfare” and selective application of justice.

Two Colorado deputies have been disciplined and one faces a lawsuit from the state's attorney general for violating Colorado law by assisting federal immigration agents. The case highlights growing tensions between state sanctuary policies and federal immigration enforcement under the Trump administration, with law enforcement officers caught in the middle of conflicting legal requirements.

By Samuel Lopez – USA Herald

A brewing legal battle in Colorado has placed two Mesa County sheriff's deputies at the center of a contentious dispute over state versus federal immigration enforcement priorities, raising critical questions about how law enforcement officers navigate conflicting legal obligations in an increasingly polarized political landscape.

The controversy erupted following the June arrest of a Brazilian college student with an expired visa, an incident that would ultimately expose a broader pattern of information sharing between local deputies and federal immigration agents through encrypted messaging platforms.

Deputy Alexander Zwinck now faces a lawsuit filed by Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser after an internal investigation revealed that Zwinck had been sharing identifying information about individuals with federal immigration officials in direct violation of state law. A second deputy, Erik Olson, was also found to have participated in similar information sharing through a Signal chat group used to communicate with federal agents.

The legal foundation for the state's action stems from legislation signed by Governor Jared Polis approximately two weeks before the Brazilian student's arrest. This law specifically prohibits local government employees, including law enforcement officers, from sharing identifying information about individuals with federal immigration officials. The statute expanded previous restrictions that had only applied to state agencies.

"The attorney general has a duty to enforce state laws and protect Coloradans and he'll continue to do so," stated spokesperson Lawrence Pacheco, defending Weiser's decision to pursue legal action against Zwinck.