Commerce City Sentinel Express February 29, 2024

Legal rights for refugees

From jobs to health care, refugee’s rights a tough discussion

BY LONDON LYLE SPECIAL TO COLORADO COMMUNITY MEDIA

ere are often misconceptions about what legal rights and protections are available to people who live in the United States, regardless of immigration status. With the recent in ux of immigrants to Colorado, primarily from South America, the question about what they can and cannot do under Colorado law and what rights they do or don’t have has heightened. e reality is that it typically depends on the case.

e current immigration process in America can take years to navigate. Although undocumented immigrants are technically breaking the law, there are valid reasons why people would be undocumented in the United States, say immigration experts. ey also emphasize that a person’s immigration status does not re ect their work ethic, educational background, abilities or beliefs.

The terminology

A refugee is someone who has been forced to ee their country because of persecution, war, or violence. eir claims have been properly vetted by the necessary channels within the federal government, according to Colorado law. In the United States, this process often takes a long time.

An asylum seeker has crossed the border into another country and is claiming to be a refugee, but their refugee status has not yet been properly vetted. People who claim to be asylum seekers might be given better protection and the ability to stay in the United States while their applications for refugee status are processed. If a person is denied refugee status, they likely face deportation. is is why many folks who fear they don’t have strong enough refugee cases or the funds or resources to connect with immigration lawyers instead opt to take their chances.

If you think you might qualify for refugee status but are unsure if applying as an asylum seeker is worth the risk, an excellent resource to check out would be the Rocky Mountain Immigration Advocacy Network (RMIAN). eir o ce is located in Westminster, and they provide free immigration legal and social services to immigrant children and adults in detention. e University of Colorado-Boulder also o ers a free Immigration Clinic where law students help provide legal assistance and guidance to undocumented folks, DACA recipients, and more. An undocumented immigrant has crossed the border into the United States without the proper authorization or legal documentation as dened under the law. It can also be an immigrant who overstays their visa.

DACA/DREAMer: Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals is a policy that gives undocumented immigrants who arrive in the United States at a young age the opportunity to stay in the United States legally and opens an eventual path to citizenship if certain educational and employment requirements are met. A “dreamer” is any child who came to the United States undocumented and refers to the DREAM Act, legislation that was rst proposed in 2001 to help provide a direct pathway to citizenship for people brought to the U.S. as children.

It and many iterations of that bill have all died in Congress.

Green card: A green card is a permanent resident card. is is given to an immigrant formally granted permanent residency and status as a U.S. citizen.

Visa: ere are two types of visas given out by the U.S. Department of State: immigrant visas and nonimmigrant visas. Immigrant visas either grant immigrants full citizenship status immediately upon crossing into U.S. soil via green cards or are marriage-based, which require two years of marriage and then result in full citizenship status.

Nonimmigrant visas are temporary.

ere are di erent kinds of nonimmigrant visas: visas for tourists, exchange students, businesspeople, and work visas. e length of time granted depends on a variety of factors. While under one Visa, you can apply to switch to a di erent Visa if your circumstances warrant it.

It’s this type of visa that an immigrant may use to gain initial entry, but can get them into trouble. Suppose an undocumented immigrant does not leave the United States on or before the date their visa expires. In that case, they risk deportation or are unable to return to the United States.

SEE REFUGEES, P5

Former Japanese internment camp joins national park system

BY EMMA VANDENEINDE KUNC

Amache, a former Japanese internment camp in far southeastern Colorado, is now o cially part of the national park system.

e site was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1994, and later named a National Historic Landmark in 2006. President Joe Biden signed the Amache National Historic Site Act in 2022, pushing the site even further to national park status.

But the land still had to be transferred by the town of Granada before it could be o cial. Without that piece, no federal funding could be put into the site.

“As a nation, we must face the wrongs of our past in order to build a more just and equitable future,” said Deb Haaland, the Secretary of the Interior, in a press release. “Today’s establishment of the Amache National Historic Site will help preserve and honor this important and painful chapter in our nation’s story for future generations.”

Before becoming part of the National Park system, a local history teacher—John Hopper—recruited some of his high school students to create a museum for the site and collect heirlooms from survivors to display.

“I think without them, there would not be Amache as a national park,” Carlene Tinker, an Amache survivor, said. “I really feel that way.”

Many survivors like Tinker have fought for greater recognition of the site for their whole lives. She was three years old when she was forced to live at the camp.

“My rst reaction was nally, okay, nally,” she said. “It’s a very proud moment. I’m thinking about all the people who endured the incarceration experience, and that nally their story is being told.

Esperanza Ferrer cries while embracing Jorge Chirnos as she prepares to move out of the Western Motor Inn on Feb. 18, 2024.

KEVIN J. BEATY/DENVERITE

BRIEFS

County seeks Healthy Farmers Markets input

Adams County is looking for feedback and opinions regarding the series of farmers markets they helped o er in 2023. Information from an online survey, located at https://bit.ly/4879uzr, will help determine how the markets will operate in 2024.

In 2023, the Adams County Health Department and Human Services partnered to provide Healthy Farmers Markets for residents. e departments are planning to provide those again in 2024, and they’d like to hear from you.

e county helped schedule the markets on Tuesdays and ursdays at the Anythink Library Wright Farms and Huron Street branches. e survey asks about location preferences, dates and timing preferences and what kinds of o erings and other services should be offered.

Alliance Business Assistance Center grants available

support-programs/business- nancial-assistance.

Submit names for new park

Commerce City is accepting recommendations for the o cial name of Oasis Park, one of two new parks. Based on these recommendations, city sta will compile the list of names, and the Parks, Recreation, and Golf Advisory Board will recommend them to the City Council.

e Oasis Park site is located within the natural setting of Second Creek Open space, just west of the Bu alo Highlands neighborhood on the south side of E. 96th Avenue. e park has open space for informal recreation, relaxation, and community gatherings; a children’s playground with shade structures, public restrooms, an embankment slide, and an overlook plaza.

e Alliance Business Assistance Center is excited to announce that 2024 business grants are now available to support your business endeavors. Sta at the center can assist residents by helping to identify grants that align with their business goals and industry, providing guidance through the application process, ensuring that they have the best chance of success and providing other valuable resources for local business. To get started, visit our website at https://businessinthornton.com/ local-business/small-business-

To learn more and submit your recommendation visit c3gov.com/ SCFOasis.

Commerce City seeking Snow Guardians

Commerce City Code Enforcement is introducing the new Snow Guardians program to help residents be good neighbors by o ering free snow removal services to residents who qualify.

Snow Guardians assist residents who are not able to clear their sidewalks of snow and ice to comply with the municipal code due to age, disability, or some other condition.

Commerce City municipal code requires property owners are responsible for clearing public sidewalks adjacent to their property of snow and ice within 24 hours of the last snowfall.

Contact Code Enforcement to apply to keep you in compliance with the code and help keep our sidewalks safe!

To qualify, you must be a resident with limited nancial resources and be unable to shovel due to age, disability, or other conditions. Learn more about the program and apply at c3gov.com/CodeEnforcement.

‘Taking No Chances’

e 17th Judicial District Attorney’s O ce and e Link, a community resource and assessment center in ornton, o er free, 10week programs to families of Adams County teenagers to help develop personal and interpersonal drug-resistance skills. Sessions are from 5:30 to 6;30 p.m. Wednesdays. Call 720-292-2811.

CCPD Introduces Online Crime Reporting Form

e Commerce City Police Department has a new online reporting tool allowing the public to report some non-emergency crimes and receive a police report immediately without speaking to a police o cer.

INSURANCE CLAIM DEADLINE

Were you aware that there’s a one-year deadline to submit a property damage claim to your insurance provider for the hailstorms that occurred in May and June of 2023? Although the repair work can be carried out after this one-year submission window, it’s crucial to le your claim within this timeframe.

Call Colorado Construction and Restoration for speci c do’s and don’ts of ling, before you le your claim.

Community members can now conveniently report incidents that do not require immediate o cer intervention, such as fraud, identity theft, lost property, theft/shoplifting (less than $2,000), and vandalism.

e new form is online now in English and Spanish at c3gov.com/ ReportACrime. Residents should always call 911 for emergencies.

‘Taking No Chances’

e 17th Judicial District Attor-

ney’s O ce and e Link, a community resource and assessment center in Thornton, offer free, 10-week programs to families of Adams County teenagers to help develop personal and interpersonal drug-resistance skills. Sessions are from 5:30 to 6;30 p.m. Wednesdays. Call 720-292-2811.

Adams County internships available

Are you interested in learning more about working for local government? Adams County currently has paid internships available.

Opportunities include a cook ($16.48/hour) and classroom aide ($15.62/hour) for Head Start, an IT intern ($17/hour) for the Sheriff’s Office, and a Healthy Farmers Market intern ($17/hour).

These opportunities are available through the Workforce & Business Center. Those interested should work with their Business Center case manager or call 720.523.6898 to get established with a case manager.

Walk with a doc

Platte Valley Medical Center’s cardiac rehab team and Walk With A Doc will host monthly walks with Dr. Christopher Cannon, an interventional cardiologist at Brighton Heart and Vascular Institute.

This is a walking program for everyone interested in a healthier lifestyle. After a few minutes to learn about a current health topic from the doctor, spend the rest of the hour enjoying a healthy walk and a fun conversation. It’s a great way to get out, get active, and enjoy all the benefits of walking.

When a Realtor Violates the Code of Ethics, Clients Often Suffer. Here

Are Examples.

More than once have I reminded readers that only members of the National Association of Realtors can call themselves “Realtors,” and only Realtors are bound by the Realtor Code of Ethics. Violation of the Code can subject a Realtor to discipline up to and including termination of their Realtor membership.

There are several ways that we Realtors might violate the Code without even realizing it, and since ethics complaints can be filed by clients, not just fellow Realtors, let me share with you some of the practices that constitute violations. If your agent is not a Realtor — and only half of all licensed agents are Realtors — he or she isn’t subject to the Code, but they might still be violating state or federal housing laws. See whether one or more of the following scenarios sounds like something you experienced.

ly loved my listing and needed to close because they’d be homeless once their current home closes next month/whenever. That’s a violation which I’m free to exploit by telling my seller to play hardball because of what I know. As a listing agent, it’s a violation for me to say my seller will take less than the asking price — unless I was specifically authorized to do so. The typical authorization is that I can say my seller is “motivated.” Buyers’ agents know what that means.

Misleading a seller on the true value of their home in order to get a listing is a violation of Article 1. The Colorado Real Estate Commission can also discipline you for this. The agent is obligated to advise the seller of the home’s value based on his or her professional expertise, and to advise the pitfalls of overpricing it.

Not presenting all offers received prior to closing is another Article 1 violation. A truly low-ball offer from a house flipper can be demoralizing, but you still have to present it unless you get in writing (as I’ve done once) from the seller that you’re relieved from presenting any offers below a certain price.

Divulging confidential information, especially if it could disadvantage your client, also violates Article 1. I once had a buyer’s agent tell me that their buyer real-

Not disclosing that I have an unrepresented buyer for my listing, if asked, is a violation. If I have a variable commission (meaning that the commission paid by the seller is lower if I don’t have to pay a buyer’s agent), I must disclose that differential. I do not have to disclose the price of each offer in hand, but I get permission from my sellers to do that when there are multiple buyers.

Not following showing instructions or showing up at a time other than what was set with the showing service is a violation.

Showing your listing on a day that your MLS listing says showings are not allowed is a violation of Article 3.

Not disclosing the status of a listing, for example if the home is under contract, is also a violation of Article 3. I’ve had listing agents tell me they weren’t going to change their listing to “Pending” on the MLS until the earnest money was received or inspection objection passed. The MLS will also discipline an agent for that.

Not getting verbal agreements in writing is a violation of Article 9. I always request at least an email instruction from my client, and I create amend/extend documents when appropriate.

Solar-Powered Home With Hyatt Lake Membership

$995,000

Not explaining fully any document presented to a client is a big no-no and a violation of Article 9. It’s so easy with today’s electronic documents to send them by email and say, “call if you have any questions,” but we are expected to be more pro-active than that.

Article 12 of the Code is about “truth in marketing.” Misrepresenting one’s level of success is a violation of this article. There’s a bus shelter ad I have seen for years by an agent saying he’s the top agent in our county, but I did the research, and it’s not true. That’s a violation not only of Article 12 but of real estate commission rules (as are most Code violations).

I once complained to the commission about bus benches on which an agent claimed he sells a home every 4 days. It wasn’t true, and he had to change them.

Knowingly giving inaccurate information about one’s listing is another violation of Article 12.

Inducing a client to terminate if you change brokerages is a violation of Article 16, as is soliciting a listing that is currently subject to an exclusive agreement with another broker. Another broker’s unhappy client can call you, but you can’t call them. Also, we must always ask a

person who calls us or visits our open house if they are working with an agent before offering to work with them. Failing to do so could lead to “sign crossing.”

When a listing expires without selling, the homeowner can expect to be deluged by phone calls, texts, letters, postcards and even door knocking by agents whose business model involves soliciting expired listings. When one of my listings expires, I tell the seller to be prepared for that deluge. A common error by such agents is to fail to check whether that listing is already active on the MLS with another agent or brokerage. Another error is to mistake the “withdrawn” status for the “expired” status. “Withdrawn” indicates that while the listing may be withdrawn from active status, it is still subject to a valid listing agreement. When you get such a solicitation, get the name of the agent and share it with your listing agent so he or she can at least contact that agent and tell him/her of the violation.

As I mentioned above, non-Realtors don’t have to abide by the Realtor Code of Ethics, but, as I also said, many violations of the Code are also violations of law and/ or real estate commission rules. They depend on you and me to report violations.

This & That: Other Topics Worth Taking Note of...

Propane Is Proposed for Home Backup

6127 Holman St., Arvada

High-end improvements and Hyatt Lake membership make this home special. At the end of a cul-de-sac, a gate on the back fence draws you to Hyatt Lake for swimming and non-gas-power boating, paddleboarding, and fishing. The seller-owned rooftop solar panels, not visible from the street, meet most or all of this home's electric needs. Although it’s a 2-story home, the primary suite is on the main floor with its own access to the 16’x16’ covered deck. Two guest bedrooms with a shared bathroom are on the top floor, and a 4th bedroom is in the walkout basement. The seller is a woodworker, and his work and attention to detailed improvements is visible throughout, such as the hanging shelves in the great room. His workshop (not included) takes up one space of the 3car garage which is heated and cooled by a mini-split unit. A Tesla charging station in the garage is included. The kitchen has special touches, too, like the quartz countertops, undercabinet lighting, Schuler brand ultra-high-end cabinets, Bosch superquiet dishwasher, LG refrigerator with a cold-saver door. The upgrades are so extensive that I urge you to look at the room-by-room details spelled out on the MLS and at JeffcoSolarHomes.com. There are also two narrated video tours for the same reason — one for the interior and one taking you on a roundtrip walk to Hyatt Lake through open space to which this home backs. Call Kathy Jonke, 303-990-7428, to see it.

An article on CustomBuilderOnline.com argues that propane is the ultimate uninterruptible energy source, and it actually makes some sense and will appeal to people worried about natural disasters disrupting the power grid. The article makes the point that having a tank of propane on your property plus a propane powered electric generator can keep you warm or cool and able to cook even if you have an all-electric home. Because propane does not degrade and can last forever in a tank (and can supply gas at even the lowest temperature), it’s the best way to make sure life goes on for you, no matter what happens with other energy sources.

Passive-Certified Homes Built in Boston

An article on ProBuilder.com reports on three certified passive-house homes built in Boston MA by Brucewood Homes. Architect Mike DelleFave says they achieve PHI-certified status by adhering to three passive house principles: air-tight construction, highperformance windows, super insulation of the building envelope, thermal bridge-free

framing, and heat recovery ventilation. All three 2500-SF homes were sold for about $1.4 million each before they were completed, proving the demand for such homes.

Seniors Get Roommates vs. Downsizing

A Denver Post article last week told of a non-profit which helps seniors living alone in a big house to find roommates, not just for companionship, shared expenses and mutual caregiving, but as a way to “age in place” instead of selling and finding a smaller resident or apartment.

This reminds me of how I, a bachelor at the time, justified my first Denver home purchase in 1997. I asked a male friend, Dave Garton, if he would be interested in sharing a home if I bought it. He said yes, and I bought a home with a walk-out basement. We shared the kitchen, but we each had our privacy. When I met Rita, Dave bought his own home and Rita and I bought a new house.

Links to all three of the above articles are at http://RealEstateToday.substack.com I welcome your topic suggestions!

Adams County unveils trash hauler licensing program

New requirements meant to boost curbside recycling

BY STAFF REPORT

A new county licensing program aims to get trash haulers in the unincorporated parts of Adams County to improve their recycling collection options and keep their trucks from leaking and dropping debris.

e new program o cially began Feb. 17. Residents and businesses in the unincorporated Adams County can sign up for recycling services through their trash collection service provider.

Solid waste hauling businesses must now obtain a license and follow new rules. is includes o ering curbside recycling service to trash collection customers and properly disposing of recyclable materials. e ordinance further protects the community by ensuring trucks hauling waste do not leak or leave debris.

“Our residents want a convenient way to divert trash from the land ll,” said Adams County Commission Chair Emma Pinter. “ ey spoke and we listened. Basic safety requirements are now in place to protect the public and the environment, in the process.”

County surveys found that twothirds of Adams County residents living unincorporated areas think

recycling collections are inconvenient.

“We took the time to ask residents about their recycling habits, met with waste haulers to understand their businesses, and looked at similar requirements in neighboring communities,” said Katie Keefe, Environmental Programs Manager with Adams County.

e development of the Waste Hauler Licensing Ordinance is part of Adams County’s e orts to increase recycling and waste diversion rates across unincorporated Adams County from approximately 16% in 2022 to 40% by 2034.

Waste haulers will have several months to comply with the requirements to license their business with the county, notify customers of the

availability of recycling services, and provide them with a list of materials that can be recycled. Recycling services are an additional cost to regular trash collection and pricing will vary by hauling company.

Adams County received a grant from the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment’s Front Range Waste Diversion program to pursue this project and the development of the Solid Waste Hauler Licensing Ordinance.

Residents of unincorporated Adams County can contact their waste hauler to nd out more about the availability and costs for curbside recycling service. More information about the ordinance, can be found at adcogov.org/waste-hauler-licensing.

Joseph “Joe” Coleman, born on June 19, 1949, grew up in Mount Caramel, PA, passed away on Super Bowl Sunday, February 11, 2024. He was the beloved husband of Marcia Coleman for 49 years. Joe was the loving father of Kristina “Kristi” Evans and cherished Gramps of Sawyer and Adele. He is also survived by his sister, Patricia “Pat” Coleman.

ful llment as a truck driver, primarily as an owner-operator. His commitment to his profession was ambitious, and he earned the respect and admiration of colleagues and peers alike.

Joe graduated Mount Carmel Area High School before embarking on a journey marked by dedication and service. He spent 3 years with a full-ride scholarship to Villanova University studying mechanical engineering and later served his country in the Army as a Military Police O cer during the Vietnam War. Following his military service, he graduated with an associate degree from Denver Automotive and Diesel College.

Beyond his professional life, Joe had a wide range of interests and hobbies. He had a passion for world travel, camping, boating, bowling, and cribbage. At home Joe loved watching football, especially the Denver Broncos. Joe also had a deep appreciation for food and cooking, specially enjoying his Mother’s Lithuanian recipes. He was a friend to all, known for his warmth, kindness, and generosity.

roughout his career, Joe found

In lieu of owers, donations to Collier Hospice Center in Wheat Ridge or Eagle View Adult Center in Brighton would be greatly appreciated, honoring Joe’s generous spirit and commitment to community

REFUGEES

Health care

It is generally safe to seek out medical care. Under no circumstances can you be refused necessary medical care based on your immigration status. According to the National Immigration Law Center’s comprehensive guide on healthcare providers and immigration enforcement, the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, commonly referred to as HIPAA, protects the privacy of all patients’ immigration status.

However, Montserrat Macias of Colorado Springs, founder and CEO of Consulta Now and rst-generation immigrant from Mexico, explained that documentation status a ects your access to health insurance. A DACA recipient herself, Macias works with families at the Mexican Consulate to navigate the same issues she faced all her life.

“Going through life undocumented can be so scary at times that it causes almost paranoia,” Macias said. “We’ve been burned so many times we don’t know who to trust. What people don’t know, they fear. So there’s this irrational fear that going to the doctor to x your broken leg will get you put on the rst ight back to Mexico and it’s just not true.

“It’s all con dential, but many people are still afraid to go to the doctor because they don’t know that. And even for those that do, when you’re undocumented and you don’t have health insurance, you don’t have any coverage. And so your bills are much, much higher. And sometimes people would rather not have that bill and they deal with things on their own as best they can,” she said.

Undocumented parents qualify for Colorado’s Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program if they meet the income requirements. Additionally, undocumented women who are pregnant are eligible for Medicaid. “It’s literally just free healthcare while you’re pregnant, and not ever again, because after you have the baby they throw you o ,” Macias said. “But you know, it’s still better than nothing, and it’s something that many people in our community don’t seek out because they don’t know about it.”

Jobs

Cesar Cuauhtémoc García Hernández, an immigration lawyer, law professor, and author, has spent a lot of time studying what he calls “the crime of migration.”

“Since 1986, federal law has barred private employers from hiring migrants who do not have the federal government’s permission to work,” he said. “ at bar on private employment includes homeowners or business owners who want to hire a day laborer. A decade later, Congress amended the law to clarify that agencies of the federal government also can’t hire migrants who don’t have a work permit.

“To this day, though, federal immigration law doesn’t specify that the bar on hiring migrants who don’t have a work permit applies to state and local governments. For that reason, it’s possible that under existing law, city, county, and state governments could hire migrants, including people who don’t have the federal

government’s permission to work, for any of the jobs they regularly ll,” he added.

But if that is feasible in Colorado, the answer is likely no.

“ is isn’t common. I don’t know of any state or local government doing this,” García Hernández said.

In other words, there are no “legal” jobs available to undocumented immigrants, and city, county and state governments are reluctant to exploit this legal loophole and hire them.

Without the proper work visa, all earnings must be paid “under the table,” meaning that the business doesn’t report the payroll funds for tax purposes. Applying for asylum can change this trajectory – after six months as an asylum seeker, a person can apply for a work visa. But of course, failing to obtain this status after seeking it out, raises the risk of deportation.

Deportation

“ e thing about illegal entry into the United States is you can’t just apply for citizenship because you want to live here and be a happy, healthy, productive member of society,” Macias said. “ at isn’t good enough. Even if you want to move to the United States for a better future for your children, that isn’t good enough. You have to either be married to a U.S. citizen, or have an adult U.S. citizen child, or sometimes if you’re a victim of a crime by a U.S. citizen, you can then apply. But there’s just such narrow paths you must t into to make it.”

If a person is totally undocumented and has not made an attempt to apply for asylum, there is nothing that can stop the deportation process.

“If you’ve already led for documentation, then you are, in a way,

protected because if anything were to happen, you could stop it by saying you’re already in the process. And that is typically enough to stop it. But if you haven’t led anything, there’s no protection against it,” she said.

Macias suggests that undocumented immigrants’ best bet is to stay out of trouble.

“People try to stay out of trouble, you know, not call too much attention to themselves, and stay in their lane. at’s really the safest bet for staying away from that risk,” she said.

Speaking of staying in your lane, undocumented immigrants can have driver’s licenses.

As of 2013, all Coloradans 16 and older are permitted to obtain a standard Colorado driver’s license regardless of immigration status, thanks to the Colorado Road and Safety Act. If you are unable to drive, you are eligible for a standard ID card. Social Security numbers are not given out to undocumented immigrants, but they are given what is called an ITIN number, which is essentially a placeholder for a Social Security number that allows undocumented folks to pay taxes. ITIN numbers do not come with any of the perks that a standard Social Security number has, such as the ability to build credit, take out loans, or apply for student loans.

“It’s funny the U.S. government will give undocumented citizens ITIN numbers so that they can pay their taxes. It’s funny because the government knows that these people are here, and they’re giving them that ITIN number to collect their tax dollars, and yet they won’t allow them to apply for citizenship,” Macias said.

Undocumented parents

For undocumented immigrants

whose children were born in the United States, their status should not a ect them unless you get into trouble.

“Sometimes, given the language and access barrier, children of undocumented children end up missing out on things,” Macias said. “For example, when my husband graduated high school, his parents couldn’t help him ll out the FAFSA (student loan forms) because of the language barrier and the fact that they didn’t have a social security number. So my husband just left it at that and never applied, when he would have quali ed for it.

“Again, it goes back to this fear aspect. ere’s just a lot of fear, and we need to get the word out to help mitigate some of that fear so we can make sure these folks are getting what they need.”

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Author highlights contradiction of America’s promise to immigrants

BY ROSANNA LONGO BETTER

SPECIAL TO COLORADO COMMUNITY MEDIA

Denver immigration lawyer and writer Cesar Cuauhtémoc García Hernández is a vocal advocate for immigration rights.

Recently he published another book, “Welcome the Wretched: In Defense of the Criminal Alien,” which seems apt given the current complex reality of refugees in Denver.

“Welcome the Wretched” invites readers to re ect on the profound message engraved on the Statue of Liberty, a symbol of America’s historic promise to welcome immigrants with open arms.

Vote f

García Hernández explores the challenges faced by those seeking refuge and provides a poignant narrative that resonates with the ideals embodied in Lady Liberty’s enduring call for compassion and inclusion in the United States.

Earlier this month, García Hernandez wrote an opinion guest essay for e New York Times about the bipartisan immigration reform bill, including a $118 billion plan for enhanced enforcement, which after four months of deliberation, failed to get support from Republicans and died. Despite increased border policing budgets, record-high encounters persist. Critics argued the bill’s focus

on policing fell short and urged Congress to prioritize improving processing capabilities for a more e ective immigration approach.

La Ciudad sat with García Hernandez to talk about his recent book and his thoughts on the recent arrivals of immigrants, particularly those seeking asylum in Denver.

is article has been edited for clarity and length.

La Ciudad: Can you tell us about the journey you took to bring this new book to us?

Cesar Cuactemoc García Hernández: My earlier book, “Migrating to Prison, America’s Obsession with Locking Up Immigrants,” was focused on a rather unusual way in which immigration law is enforced in the United States and how it relies so heavily on incarceration.

at’s not particularly surprising for people who are familiar with the criminal legal system in the United States. We, of course, incarcerate people on a mass scale in this country and have for several decades. What I was trying to draw out in “Migrating

to Prison” was that same development beginning in the 1980s that went through the 1990s and multiple presidential administrations tried to make life as di cult as possible for people who run into the criminal legal system.

It was true in the drug war context as it was in the immigration context. So many of the people who have been most heavily a ected are, of course, people of color. I re ected on migrating to prison after it came out, and so many of us in 2020 were locked outside of our homes.

I started to think about the people I was watching every single day across the street from my house in Denver in March and April of 2020 when the cities were silent.

Many days, the loudest thing we would hear were the sirens that were driving people to hospitals and makeshift morgues around Denver. e only other noise that broke through that silence was the hammering across the street.

A condominium complex was being built across the street from my house, and the people who worked there never stopped.

We wouldn’t leave the front steps of our houses, and the guys across the street were working every single day, like nothing unusual was happening. We did not know if that was safe. And so I started worrying about, what happens if the economy actually collapses in the way that it looked like it was going to do in March of 2020?

I realized that the people who were going to be most heavily targeted, the people who were most easily targeted, are migrants. Migrants who have some kind of blemish on their in their life histories. at’s really when I decided that I wanted to focus on how it is that migrants who have some problem with the criminal legal system who get convicted of a crime are treated by immigration law today.

I also thought critically about how citizenship ought to change so that we can allow people to come into the citizenry, and how that a ects those of us who are born into our citizenship. ose of us who are born into our citizenship are just as imperfect, just as fallible. We have just as many errors and imperfections in our lives, as people who are born in another country and to another citizenship.

La Ciudad: I got caught up with the rst character in your book, José Inés García Zarete, an immigrant who is in the wrong place at the wrong time and gets into the prison system. Once he’s in the system, it seems like he’s never going to get out. It seems like he is never going to be able to get a second chance like we get when we, as humans, make mistakes.

García Hernández: Jose is a fascinating example because he’s the picture of what politicians like to refer to as a criminal alien.

He’s a Mexican citizen. He came to the United States for the rst time when he was a young adult, but still a teenager. He has lived in the United States pretty much all of his adult life. But he has been in and out of prisons; he’s mentally ill — he has schizophrenia.

He was actually jailed while he was being prosecuted, not after conviction, for four years. e judge said in one of the sentencing hearings “that must have been hell” because he was not getting the treatment he needed.

e reason why I begin the book with Jose’s story is because of what happened one evening when he had been locked up in a federal prison because he had been convicted of a crime of illegal reentry into the United States.

e federal crime is one of two federal immigration crimes that are heavily prosecuted across the United States, and when he was released, he was actually handed over to the San Francisco Sheri ’s o ce because he had an old, outstanding warrant for a low-level marijuana drug possession charge when he was 20 years old.

So the prosecutor in San Francisco decides now at this point, that things are changing. Colorado had already legalized marijuana; California was moving in that direction; it looked pretty clearly that it was going to be the next big state to do so, and San Francisco was not really interested in prosecuting somebody for having a couple of joints 20 years ago.

So they released him, and as he had done many times in his life, he started living on the streets. One day (in 2015), he was sitting on a bench along the San Francisco waterfront, when he noticed a pile of rags under

the bench.

A gun had been stolen from a parked vehicle belonging to a federal law enforcement o cer. No one ever suggested that Jose stole it. No one has any idea who stole it.

e gun was there, inside that pile of rags. And as soon as Jose picked up the pile of rags, a bullet went o and it ricocheted o the ground and it hit a young woman named Kate Steinle who was out for a walk.

is young, blonde woman, in her 20s. She’d only recently moved to San Francisco and became the symbol of everything that’s wrong with immigration law in cities like San Francisco that don’t cooperate hand-in-hand with the immigration authorities.

Republican candidate Donald Trump goes o on how beautiful Kate Steinle was murdered by this man who should have been deported. Hillary Clinton, who was the frontrunner for the Democratic Party’s

nominee for president, criticizes San Francisco and says the city messed up and they should have handed this person over to ICE to be deported.

So Democrats and Republicans are targeting the city saying, “Your liberal policies are the reason young Kate Steinle is dead, and it’s all because you let this guy who has a long criminal record, stay in the United States,” right?

GET THE WHOLE STORY ONLINE

This question and answer interview has been edited to fit the space.

To read the full discussion between Rossana Longo Better and Cesar Cuauhtémoc García Hernández, visit our website at https://coloradocommunitymedia. com/2024/02/22/welcome-the-wretched-author-highlights-contradiction-ofamericas-promise-to-immigrants-andcurrent-u-s-debate/

LEAP provides energy assistance to lower home heating costs. LEAP proporciona asistencia de energía para bajar los gastos de calefacción.

ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS

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1 NOVIEMBRE - 30 ABRIL

Do you need help paying your utilities this winter? Colorado’s Low-income Energy Assistance Program (LEAP) may be for you. LEAP helps Colorado families, individuals, older adults and those with a disability to pay a part of their winter home heating costs.

UnitedWay-Weld.org/LEAP 1-866-HEAT-HELP (1-866-432-8435)

WELD

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Replace

bathroom. The property is superb for entertaining with a large deck and breakfast nook.

The 2nd buyer is a young couple that would live in one unit and rent out the other to cover their payment. We are offering a 2-1 buydown for a full price offer. The interest rate will be around 5% in year one and 6% in year 2.

The 3rd buyer is a family care situation where one will support the other but do not want to be too close.

The last buyer would be a mid to older age couple who would like to have additional space for guest and for them to have private space. The home is all on one level.

Any buyer who does not take the 2-1 buydown and does give a full price offer will get a custom package for $20,000.00. The upgrades could include and of these: Private garden, custom front porch, hottub, man cave in the garage or custom tile and paint throughout the home, RV parking or off street parking for the ADU.

Please call Alan Davis at 303-378-7537 or alandavis@levelengineering.com

PUBLIC

303-566-4123

Legals

Metro Districts Budget Hearings

Public Notice

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING ON SUPPLEMENTAL BUDGET AND APPROPRIATION FOR 2024 BUDGET

SOUTH ADAMS COUNTY WATER AND SANITATION DISTRICT

Notice is hereby given that a proposed supplemental budget and appropriation to the 2024 Budget has been submitted to the Board of Directors of the South Adams County Water and Sanitation District acting by and on behalf of its South Adams County Water and Sanitation District Activity Enterprise. A copy of such proposed budget amendment has been filed in the office of the South Adams County Water and Sanitation District, 6595 East 70th Avenue, Commerce City, Colorado 80022, where the same is open for public inspection.

A public hearing will be held on the proposed supplemental budget and appropriation, and a resolution of approval will be considered at a regular meeting of the Board of Directors of the South Adams County Water and Sanitation District, to be held at 6595 East 70th Avenue, Commerce City, Colorado, on March 13, 2024, at 6:00 p.m. Any interested elector of the South Adams County Water and Sanitation District may inspect the proposed budget amendment and file or register any objections thereto at any time prior to final adoption of the amendment to the budget. A property tax increase is not being considered as part of the proposed amendment.

SOUTH ADAMS COUNTY WATER AND SANITATION DISTRICT

By: Vicki Ennis

As: Secretary

Legal Notice No. CCX1296

First Publication: February 29, 2024

Last Publication: February 29, 2024

Publisher: Commerce City Sentinel Express

Public Notice

NOTICE AS TO BUDGET AMENDMENT

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that a proposed budget amendment has been submitted to the BELLE CREEK METROPOLITAN DISTRICT NO. 1 for the year of 2023. A copy of such proposed budget amendment has been filed in the office of the District, 58 Inverness Drive East, Suite 100, in Englewood, Colorado, where the same is open for public inspection. Such proposed budget amendment

will be considered and final action taken at a meeting of the Board of Directors of the Belle Creek Metropolitan District No. 1 on March 5, 2024 at 6:00 p.m. at 10693 Belle Creek Boulevard, Henderson. Any interested elector within the Belle Creek Metropolitan District No. 1 may, at any time prior to the final adoption of the budget amendment, file or register his objections thereto.

Dated: February 29, 2024

BELLE CREEK METROPOLITAN DISTRICT NO. 1

By:/s/ Laurie Tatlock Manager for the District

Legal Notice No. CCX1298

First Publication: February 29, 2024

Last Publication: February 29, 2024

Publisher: Commerce City Sentinel Express

Bids and Settlements

Public Notice

FINAL SETTLEMENT

Project Title: Porteos – PA-3 (Segment 6)

Project Owners: Velocity Metropolitan District No. 1

Project Location: City of Aurora, Colorado

The Velocity Metropolitan District No. 1 plans to accept the above titled project as substantially complete and for Final Settlement to Hudick Excavating Inc. after April 1, 2024. In accordance with the Contract Documents, the Velocity Metropolitan District No. 1 may withhold a portion of the remaining payment to be made to Hudick Excavating Inc., as necessary, to protect the Velocity Metropolitan District No. 1 from loss on account of claims filed and failure of Hudick Excavating inc. to make payments properly to subcontractors or suppliers. Project suppliers and subcontractors of Hudick Excavating Inc. are hereby notified that unresolved outstanding claims must be certified and forwarded to:

Contact Person:Barney Fix, P.E.

Address:5970 Greenwood Plaza Blvd. Greenwood Village, CO 80111 as soon as possible, but no later than March 25, 2024.

Legal Notice No. CCX1297

First Publication: February 29, 2024

Last Publication: March 14, 2024

Publisher: Commerce City Sentinel Express Non-consecutive publications

Public Notice

MENT

NOTICE is hereby given that the South Adams County Water and Sanitation District (“District”) of Adams County, Colorado, will make a partial final payment at its offices at 6595 E. 70th Avenue, Commerce City, Colorado, 80022, on March 11th, 2024, at the hour of 3:00 p.m. to Moltz Construction Inc., of 975 Merchant Court, Windsor, Colorado 80550 for work done by said Contractor(s) in construction work performed for the District.

Project Contractor: M oltz Construction, Inc.

Project Name: SACWSD 2023 Irrigation System Pump Upgrades Project

Project Location: This project is generally located at the District’s Horizontal Collector Well No. 119 Station at 9798 McKay Road and the District’s Landmark Station at 10270 Landmark Drive.

The Phase 1 portion of work for the District’s 2023 Irrigation Pump Upgrades Project, consisting of installation of two new vertical turbine pumps at the Horizontal Collector Well No. 119, has been completed. The District is hereby issuing this Notice of Partial Final Payment for all aspects of the Project which fall under this Phase 1 portion.

Any person, co-partnership, association of persons, company or corporation that has furnished labor, materials, team hire, sustenance, provisions, provender, or other supplies used or consumed by any contractors or their subcontractors, in or about the performance of the work contracted to be done or that supplies rental machinery, tools, or equipment to the extent used in the prosecution of the work, and whose claim therefor has not been paid by the contractors or their subcontractors, at any time up to and including the time of final settlement for the work contracted to be done, is required to file a verified statement of the amount due and unpaid, and an account of such claim, to the District at the above address, Attn: Dawn Fredette, District Clerk, on or before the date and time hereinabove shown. A verified statement shall not be deemed filed until in the actual possession of Ms. Fredette or in Ms. Fredette’s email Inbox (not spam folder) and viewable on her computer workstation. Failure on the part of any claimant to file such verified statement of claim prior to such final settlement will release the District, its Board of Directors, officers, agents, and employees, of and from any and all liability for such claim.

All of the above is pursuant to §38-26107, C.R.S.

BY ORDER OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

SOUTH ADAMS COUNTY WATER AND SANITATION DISTRICT acting through its SOUTH ADAMS COUNTY WATER AND SANITATION DISTRICT ACTIVITY

ENTERPRISE

By:Vicki Ennis Secretary

Legal Notice No. CCX1293

First Publication: February 22, 2024

Last Publication: February 29, 2024

Publisher: Commerce City Sentinel Express

Public Notice

FINAL SETTLEMENT

Project Title:Porteos –Dirt Export and Placement

Project Owners:

Velocity Metropolitan District No. 1

Project Location: City of Aurora, Colorado

The Velocity Metropolitan District No. 1 plans to accept the above titled project as substantially complete and for Final Settlement to Hudick Excavating Inc. after April 1, 2024. In accordance with the Contract Documents, the Velocity Metropolitan District No. 1 may withhold a portion of the remaining payment to be made to Hudick Excavating Inc., as necessary, to protect the Velocity Metropolitan District No. 1 from loss on account of claims filed and failure of Hudick Excavating inc. to make payments properly to subcontractors or suppliers. Project suppliers and subcontractors of Hudick Excavating Inc. are hereby notified that unresolved outstanding claims must be certified and forwarded to:

Contact Person:Barney Fix, P.E.

Address:5970 Greenwood Plaza Blvd. Greenwood Village, CO 80111 as soon as possible, but no later than March 25, 2024.

Legal Notice No. CCX1295

First Publication: February 29, 2024

Last Publication: March 14, 2024

Publisher: Commerce City Sentinel Express

Non-Consecutive Publications

Public Notice

WINDLER PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT AUTHORITY

WINDLER - 1881 Park – Structural

Sealed Bids will be received by Windler Public Improvement Authority, hereinafter referred to as OWNER, at the office of the Authority Engineer, Merrick & Company, 5970 Greenwood Plaza Boulevard, Greenwood Village, CO 80111, until 10:00 AM local time on March 15, 2024, for:

WINDLER - 1881 Park – Structural

This Contract provides for the construction of the following: 1881 Park – Struc-

At its peak, Amache — also known as the Granada Relocation Center — housed more than 7,000 JapaneseAmericans during the 1940s. ey were forced to live behind barbed wire in poorly-insulated rooms. is was one of ten other Japanese internment camps that existed during World War II, with some being located in the

Mountain West.

Mitch Homma’s grandparents and their kids were also imprisoned at the camp. He wishes more of his relatives were alive to see this historical moment.

“My dad’s older sister just passed away,” he said. “She was hoping she was gonna be around and see it come to fruition and stu . But, you know, we got it done.” e camp served meals that were different than what they were used to — eggs, potatoes and hot dogs, to name

a few. Homma’s dad died at the camp after not eating the food. He re ected on what his dad would have said about the news.

“I think he would have been totally surprised,” he said. “ e one statement he said back then was, ‘ ey didn’t care about us in 1942, and I don’t think enough people care about us now,” he said, getting emotional. “And now it’s happening and, you know, it’s pretty special.”

Some survivors, like Gary Ono, are happy that younger people are taking

an interest in the park before he and many others pass away.

“I just turned 84 last week, so I know that I feel my mortality,” he said. “As we all pass on, we just hope that our history will continue. So just having Amache as a National Park Service site will help to preserve and keep telling the story.” Amache is open to the public now, and will start to undergo some improvements of transforming the signage and working on the roads. ere will be an o cial ribbon cutting ceremony on May 17th.

Best Casino

Public Notices

tural project includes architectural, mechanical, plumbing, electrical, and structural items for a Historic Barn and Silo restoration, Greenhouse, and Welcome Center at the northeast corner of Tibet Road and 45th Place. Horizontal construction is not in this scope. All exterior slabs on architectural drawings are included in separate contract. Coordination with 1881 Site contractor will be required. Greenhouse scope is by others, Bidder to contact James Parris at Stuppy Greenhouse for scope and pricing. Bidder to provide and install concrete slab and stem walls (re: structural), and install Stuppy supplied hydronic piping material for slab. Architectural, mechanical, plumbing, electrical and structural items shown in Greenhouse drawings are in Bidder’s scope.

Copies of the Bidding Documents may be requested from the Windler Public Improvement Authority, at the email of the Authority Engineer, barney. fix@merrick.com, beginning February 1, 2024. NO PAYMENT REQUIRED.

ARE PROHIBITED.

Bidders must be licensed Contractors in the State of Colorado.

Bids will be received providing unit price for items; however, the price given will be on a maximum not-to-exceed amount, as described in the Bidding Documents.

The Work is expected to be commenced within thirty (30) days after the Date of Contract.

Bid Security in the amount of five percent (5%) of the total Bid Price must accompany each Bid in the form specified in the Instructions to Bidders.

The Successful Bidder will be required to furnish a Performance Bond, Labor and Material Payment Bond guaranteeing faithful performance and warranty bond for two-years after Substantial Completion, and the payment of all bills and obligations arising from the performance of the Contract.

The OWNER reserves the right to award the contract by sections, to reject any or all Bids, and to waive any informalities and irregularities therein.

For further information, please contact Barney Fix at Merrick & Company at 303-751-0741.

Legal Notice No. CCX1282

First Publication: February 1, 2024

Last Publication: February 29, 2024

Publisher: Commerce City Sentinel Express Non-Consecutive Publications

We are community.

Name Changes

PUBLIC NOTICE

Public Notice of Petition for Change of Name

Public notice is given on February 7 , 2024, that a Petition for a Change of Name of an adult has been filed with the Adams County Court.

The petition requests that the name of TITO FREDDY ONTIVEROS be changed to

Tito-Freddy Ontiveros

Case No.: 24 C 142

By: Deputy Clerk

Legal Notice No. CCX1292

First Publication: February 22, 2024

Last Publication: March 7, 2024

Publisher: Commerce City Sentinel Express

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