State agencies and employees should not share the personal information of immigrants with ICE. As someone who regularly supports and assists immigrants obtain legal status in the U.S., this seems like an obvious position. But not sharing personal information with ICE is also a good idea that makes all community members safer, regardless of immigration status.

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There are several reasons why sharing information with ICE is a harmful idea and bad for Colorado. First, in 2013, Colorado made a common-sense change in the law to provide driver’s licenses to Colorado residents regardless of immigration status. This new law meant that in Colorado, we focused on our drivers being regulated and driving safely and didn’t confuse the issue of immigration status with safe driving. This new law has been a great success because more Colorado drivers are now licensed, providing greater accountability, we have greater safety on the roads, and increased revenue for the state. These are all wins for the entire state.

If undocumented people are afraid their personal information will be shared with ICE, they will not apply for a driver’s license, defeating the entire point of having driver’s licenses for all. Sharing personal information with ICE threatens to undo the progress we’ve made in Colorado towards safer driving. Although it looks on the surface that sharing information will impact only undocumented immigrants, in reality this information sharing harms the entire community. When fewer drivers are licensed or able to obtain insurance, this puts everyone on the roads at risk.

Second, in the current pandemic, it is imperative that sick people get access to health care and that people who want to be vaccinated can do so, regardless of immigration status. As we’ve heard repeatedly this last year, we are all impacted by the decisions of those around us. However, if people are afraid that going to the emergency room or getting vaccinated will give their personal information to ICE, they will not seek those services. More sick people or fewer vaccinated people hurts all of us.

Third, there are many undocumented parents who have children who are U.S. citizens. These children have the same rights and access to food and medical assistance as any other child in the US but commonly, the fear that the parents’ information will be shared with ICE has often caused the parents to drop their children’s Medicaid or not ask for food assistance. Again, while the most harm is suffered by these children, our community overall is also harmed when our children are hungry or without access to medical care.

Finally, Colorado has a long-standing tradition of independence and doing things our own way. We don’t need the federal government looking over our shoulder or worse, digging through our data. We are an independent-minded state that has always been willing to do what we thought was best for Colorado regardless of the federal government’s position. Having the ICE using our community members’ information without even a warrant goes against our fundamental ideas of what it means to be a Coloradan.

SB21-131 is a bill currently before the Colorado Legislature this session that would prohibit sharing personal information obtained by the State of Colorado with ICE by agency employees. The bill would prevent Personal Identifying Information (PII) given to the DMV and CDLE from being shared with ICE or any other person or entity who would use the information for immigration enforcement. The bill is a commonsense solution that that makes all of us safer in our communities and should be supported by anyone who supports safer communities.

Stephanie Izaguirre is a Colorado Springs-based attorney for immigrants and children.