A high-ranking Colorado labor official has filed a whistleblower lawsuit accusing Gov. Jared Polis (D) of pressuring state employees to violate privacy laws by secretly sharing residents’ financial data with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)—an alleged breach of state statutes Polis himself signed into law.
Key Allegations
In a civil complaint filed Wednesday in Denver District Court, Scott Moss, director of Colorado’s Division of Labor Standards and Statistics, claims Polis issued an “illegal directive” to comply with an ICE subpoena demanding private financial information of residents sponsoring unaccompanied immigrant children.
Moss alleges:
- Polis’ administration initially claimed it was “analyzing its options” but reversed course in late May, ordering staff to hand over sensitive data—just days after Polis signed a 2025 law expanding privacy protections.
- The move violates Colorado’s 2021 Privacy Act, which bars state agencies from sharing personally identifiable information (PII) with federal immigration authorities without a court order.
- Employees faced “personal penalties of up to $50,000 per violation” for complying, per the complaint.
Whistleblower’s Warning
Moss reportedly protested internally, warning that cooperation with ICE would:
✔ “Severely damage trust in state officials”
✔ Risk “lawless or violent” ICE raids
✔ Potentially “abuse children or target the innocent”
An internal memo obtained by Law&Crime shows Moss alerted Colorado officials on June 3, calling the directive “illegal.”
Legal & Political Fallout
The lawsuit highlights a stark contradiction: Polis, who positioned Colorado as a “sanctuary” for immigrant rights, now stands accused of undermining his own laws. The subpoena, Moss notes, cites no criminal investigation or probable cause.
Why it matters: If proven, the allegations could expose Colorado to civil liability and erode public trust in data privacy safeguards.
