HB1280 creates the Statewide Welcome, Reception, and Integration Grant Program to provide grants to "community-based" organizations that assist illegal migrants with accessing state services. The Department of Labor and Employment (CDLE) will contract with a nonprofit to manage the program, ensuring grants support services such as intake, cultural orientation, case management, employment, and housing. The bill allocates $2.5 million for the program, with up to 10% used for the nonprofit’s administration.
The Colorado State House of Representatives passed HB1280 on May 8, 2024 by a vote of 41 to 20. We have assigned pluses to the nays because individuals who enter the United States illegally—which, by definition, is a crime—should not be granted sanctuary or residency in Colorado, nor should they be eligible for state-funded services. Moreover, providing grants and socialized government welfare is not a legitimate function of government. These programs depend on the unjust taxation of American citizens, violating Article I, Section 8, of the U.S. Constitution, as well as the Bill of Rights and the 14th Amendment.
