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Boulder, CO Immigration Policy: Sanctuary Policy Preemption (2026)

Significant Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified September 2026

Key Facts

Sanctuary declaration
Boulder declares itself a "sanctuary" city
Employee inquiry ban
No inquiry into immigration status
Federal cooperation ban
No assisting federal immigration investigations
City funds restriction
No funds/staff/equipment for detention assistance
Adopted
Ordinance No. 8162 (2017), amended 8617 (2024)
Exceptions
Lawful court orders, emergencies, non-immigration crime

Summary

Boulder Municipal Code Chapter 12-5 declares Boulder a "sanctuary" city and bars city employees from inquiring into a person's immigration status, acting on it, or cooperating with federal immigration investigations. No city funds, personnel, or equipment may assist federal immigration enforcement or detention.

(7)The City of Boulder declares that it is a "sanctuary" city. 12-5-2 - Prohibited Activities. Except as provided in Section 12-5-3 "Permitted Activities," B.R.C. 1981: (a)No city employee shall inquire into a person's immigration status.(b)No city employee shall take any action based on a person's immigration status.(c)No city employee shall cooperate with any federal authority with respect to any investigation of a person's immigration status.(d)No city funds shall be used to assist with any investigation into a person's immigration status or to assist with the enforcement of federal immigration law.(e)No city funds shall be used to assist in the detention of any person based on a person's suspected immigration status.

View official code

Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Municipal Code: Supplement 167 Update 3).

Full Breakdown

C. 1981, was adopted by Ordinance No. 8162 in 2017 and amended by Ordinance No. 8617 in 2024. " Section 12-5-2 then codifies the operative prohibitions: no city employee may inquire into a person's immigration status, take any action based on it, or cooperate with any federal authority investigating a person's immigration status. No city funds, defined broadly to include personnel, equipment, telephones, and information technology, may be used to assist a federal immigration status investigation or to help detain a person based on suspected immigration status.

Section 12-5-3 carves out limited exceptions: employees may still discuss immigration status as part of a person's own service request, obey lawful court orders issued with full constitutional protections, act to protect a person or respond to an emergency, and investigate or assist with criminal investigations unrelated to immigration violations. The chapter does not create a private right of action or criminal penalty of its own; it operates as a binding directive on city departments and employees rather than a licensing or permitting scheme.

Violations & Fines

Chapter 12-5 does not set out its own fine or criminal penalty schedule for city employees; it functions as a mandatory policy directive enforceable through the city's normal personnel and administrative channels rather than municipal court prosecution. City employees who inquire into immigration status, act on it, or cooperate with federal immigration investigations outside the Section 12-5-3 exceptions are acting outside the authority the code grants them, exposing the city to internal discipline and policy accountability rather than a per-incident municipal citation.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Boulder officially a sanctuary city?
Yes. Section 12-5-1(b)(7) of the Boulder Revised Code states directly, "The City of Boulder declares that it is a 'sanctuary' city," as part of the legislative findings adopted with Chapter 12-5, "Undocumented Persons," in 2017 and amended in 2024.
Can Boulder police or city staff ask about my immigration status?
No. Section 12-5-2(a) bars any city employee from inquiring into a person's immigration status, and 12-5-2(b) bars taking any action based on that status, subject only to the narrow exceptions in Section 12-5-3 for service requests, lawful court orders, emergencies, and non-immigration criminal investigations.
Will Boulder city funds be used to help federal immigration detention?
No. Section 12-5-2(e) prohibits using city funds, defined in 12-5-2(f) to include money, personnel, and equipment such as phones and computers, to assist in detaining any person based on suspected immigration status, and 12-5-2(d) bars similar assistance with immigration investigations or enforcement.
Does Boulder's sanctuary ordinance stop police from investigating crimes?
No. Section 12-5-3(d) preserves a police officer's ability to investigate or assist with any criminal investigation other than a violation of immigration law itself, so ordinary criminal enforcement continues; only immigration-status inquiries and federal cooperation on immigration matters are restricted.

Sources & Official References

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