Gov. Jared Polis is at it again, claiming just last week that Colorado isn’t a sanctuary for illegal immigration. Most notably, he contends Colorado law enforcement agencies freely work with federal authorities, including on cases involving illegal immigrants — despite recently enacted state laws to the contrary. 

It was by his own pen that those laws, barring cooperation with the feds on illegal immigration, made it into Colorado’s statute books over the past few years. They’re the handiwork of his fellow ruling Democrats at the legislature. 

One of those laws, expanded just last year, explicitly prohibits state agencies and political subdivisions from sharing or inquiring into anyone’s personal identifying information to enforce immigration laws. The law imposes a civil fine of $50,000 for each violation.

Is Polis in a state of denial on the subject? Or, is he just splitting hairs to skirt the simple truth that Colorado has become one of the most notorious sanctuary states in the country?

The governor coyly attempts at times to draw a fine line — between working with federal authorities on criminal investigations in general, and working with them on cases involving immigration status.  

Hence, his statement to The Gazette’s editorial board Friday, as reported this week by The Gazette:

“There’s always a matter of making sure local line officers are educated in our laws and that they know that they’re able to work with our federal partners on criminal matters. So, it doesn’t shock me that there are some line officers somewhere that didn’t know they’re able to work with law enforcement federally on criminal investigations.”

He continued, “…we hope our sheriffs and our police chiefs are doing a good job, making sure that we can work closely with our federal partners. I’ll be happy to talk to them … So, I’ll set that up.”

The governor would have us believe it’s just a matter of inadequate training if any Colorado law officers feel unsure what they can and can’t tell the feds.  

In reality, of course, the immigration status of, say, an operative of a foreign drug cartel inevitably will come into play if he is busted after entering the country illegally to offload a shipment of deadly fentanyl. And Colorado law enforcement agencies that take such a suspect into custody have been scared off of reaching out to the feds for intel and backup.

Given Colorado’s lax drug laws — its decriminalization of possession of hard drugs like fentanyl, meth and heroin several years ago — it would behoove our justice system all the more to turn over drug dealers illegally in the country to ICE. But it’s not going to happen.

Indeed, David Olesky, the special agent in charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Rocky Mountain Field Division recently told our editorial board, “Local and state authorities are fearful that the state is going to come back to them — that the passing of their information, even though it originated in drugs, is going to cause civil liability, where they can get sued up to $50,000.”

That’s exactly what happened when a Mesa County sheriff’s deputy made a traffic stop last year and mentioned it on an app jointly used by local, state and federal law enforcement. The motorist later was pulled over by federal officers and detained for being in the country illegally.

Instead of getting a pat on the back, the deputy was slapped with a lawsuit — by the Colorado attorney general.

How’s that for working “closely” with the federal government, Governor?