Denver Mayor Mike Johnston’s response to the president-elect’s illegal immigration deportation strategy has prompted one Colorado town to push back — again.

Since Johnston took office in July 2023, Denver has welcomed nearly 43,000 immigrants, most whom illegally crossed the southern border, into Colorado’s most populous city.

Johnston, a Democrat, recently made national headlines when he told local news blog Denverite the city’s police and “50,000 Denverites” would not comply with President-elect Donald Trump’s plans to deport thousands of immigrants currently residing illegally in the Mile High City. Denver’s mayor even suggested he’d go to jail if necessary. 

In Castle Rock, a town 25 miles south of Denver and within Republican-dominated Douglas County, town councilmember and Colorado House District 45 Rep.-elect Max Brooks, a Republican, called Johnston’s anti-deportation response “insurrectionist rhetoric.”

Brooks balked at Johnston’s push to care for immigrants in Denver, lamenting he “defunded” several departments to fund the city’s immigration response.

“He defunded law enforcement to fund the asylum seekers for illegal migrants, and yet he thinks (Denver police) was going to turn around and stand shoulder to shoulder with him at the Denver county line defending against federal authorities that are coming in towards illegal migrants,” Brooks said.

“It’s laughable,” he said.

The Johnston administration redirected funds from current programs and agencies in order to pay for the city’s immigration response. More specifically, the mayor’s office froze hiring for some positions in the public safety department.

Three months ago, Castle Rock Town Council passed a motion to research language for a lawsuit against Denver over its sanctuary city status. Brooks, who filed that motion, said on Thursday that lawsuit consideration is on pause in lieu of what might happen with the new administration.

Castle Rock explores legal action over Denver’s ‘failed’ immigrant policy

Most recently on Tuesday, Brooks — along with the seven-member town council — unanimously passed another motion. Councilmembers agreed to direct town staff to prepare a declaration supporting Trump’s deportation plans. That declaration expects to face a town council vote within the next two meetings, according to Brooks.

Trump campaign officials, when previously asked how his deportation pledge would be carried out, said Trump would begin the largest deportation program in U.S. history. A spokesperson said Trump “would marshal every federal and state power necessary to institute the largest deportation operation of illegal criminals, drug dealers, and human traffickers.” 

In his new position, Brooks said he plans on reintroducing state House Bill 24-1128, a failed proposal last year that intended to reverse the 2006 senate bill (06-090).

The proposed 2023 law’s intention was to allow law enforcement to report, with probable cause, anyone not legally in the U.S. to the federal immigration and customs enforcement office, according to HB24-1128.

From the law enforcement perspective, Douglas County Sheriff Darren Weekly told The Denver Gazette “we don’t have the authority to arrest people who are in this country illegally,” but added local law enforcement can arrest immigrants committing crimes and that “those would be the first people to be deported.”

Douglas County, along with Elbert County, in April filed a lawsuit against the state of Colorado over its “sanctuary” statutes that restrict local law enforcement officials from working with federal authorities on illegal immigration, arguing they are unconstitutional and preempted by federal laws.

Brooks said he expects to push against anti-deportation efforts when he becomes the representative of HD45, which covers Castle Rock and surrounding area.

“I feel like it’s the duty of this job, whether it’s as a representative in the legislature or or as a member of Castle Rock Town Council, the job is very clear to me,” Brooks said, “and that is to represent the views, the wishes, the desires of your constituency.”

In response to Douglas County’s pushback, Jon Ewing, a spokesperson for Johnston’s office, told The Denver Gazette “we will always remain a welcoming city that supports our neighbors, whether you were born and raised here or recently arrived.”

Castle Rock councilmembers, including Douglas County commissioners and Sheriff Weekly, have decried a growing immigrant population within the county directly south of Denver.

“Federal law supersedes state law, but I don’t know what that’s going to look like after January,” Weekly said.

The sheriff concluded: “If you are an illegal migrant and you commit a crime in Douglas County, we can identify positively who you are, or know that you’re going to show up for court, that there will be a custodial arrest.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.