Colorado Sues Deputy for Allegedly Helping Federal Agents Arrest Nursing Student

Strategic Insights -

Colorado's Democratic attorney general, Phil Weiser, has sued Mesa County Deputy Alexander Zwinck for allegedly helping federal immigration agents arrest a 19-year-old nursing student with an expired visa. The student was stopped by Deputy Zwinck on June 5, who then shared her personal information, including her driver's license and vehicle registration, with federal agents. The deputy allegedly provided the agents with her location and instructions on how to arrest her, which they did the same day. This incident has sparked an investigation by the Colorado attorney general's office into whether other law enforcement officers on the regional drug task force the deputy worked on have been sharing information with federal agents to help with immigration arrests. The federal government has previously sued Colorado over the state's laws limiting cooperation in immigration enforcement.

Key Takeaways:

  • Deputy Alexander Zwinck allegedly shared a nursing student's personal information, including her driver's license and vehicle registration, with federal immigration agents.
  • The deputy provided the agents with the student's location and instructions on how to arrest her, which they did on the same day.
  • The Colorado attorney general's office is investigating whether other law enforcement officers on the regional drug task force have been sharing information with federal agents to help with immigration arrests.
  • The federal government has previously sued Colorado over the state's laws limiting cooperation in immigration enforcement.
  • The law Weiser is enforcing, which bars employees of local governments from sharing identifying information about people with federal immigration officials, was recently expanded to include local government agencies.
  • Deputy Zwinck is accused of violating state law twice, on June 5 and June 10, by sharing information with federal agents.
  • The Mesa County Sheriff's Office has removed all its employees from the Signal group chat and is conducting an internal investigation into the student's traffic stop.

Statistics:

  • 1 nursing student was allegedly arrested at the hands of Deputy Alexander Zwinck on June 5.
  • 2 instances of Deputy Zwinck allegedly sharing information with federal agents are mentioned in the lawsuit.
  • 1 state law, which bars employees of local governments from sharing identifying information about people with federal immigration officials, was recently expanded to include local government agencies.
  • 1 internal investigation by the Mesa County Sheriff's Office is ongoing into the student's traffic stop.

Sources:

  • "Colo. attorney general sues deputy for immigration reporting," by The Associated Press, sourced by AP News, June 14, 2022.