Denver Mayor Orders City Authorities to Detain ICE Agents Who Use Excessive Force

Denver Mayor Mike Johnston issued an extraordinary executive order directing city authorities to detain Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents if they 'assault or shoot' residents during immigration operations — a dramatic escalation of the sanctuary city standoff with the federal government. The order represents the most aggressive local pushback against ICE operations to date, pitting municipal law enforcement directly against federal agents and raising urgent constitutional questions about the limits of sanctuary city policies. The move comes as ICE enforcement actions continue to intensify nationwide, with a Columbia University student detained on campus in New York and the Trump administration halting Minnesota Medicaid funds over fraud concerns.