Press releases are provided to Yellow Scene Magazine. In an effort to keep our community informed, we publish some press releases in whole.

For Immediate Release

May 20, 2026

Shannon Carbone

303-441-3804

scarbone@bouldercounty.gov

Boulder County, Colo. – District Attorney Michael Dougherty is responding and pushing back on a congressional inquiry from House Republicans targeting Colorado communities (including Boulder, Colo.) over state immigration laws, calling the effort political theater that ignores serious failures within the federal immigration system. Dougherty believes that this country needs secure borders and that immigrants convicted of a crime should be subject to deportation with due process.

Dougherty emphasized that his office prosecutes violent criminals regardless of immigration status and follows Colorado law while prioritizing public safety. Our office also fights for the rights of immigrants. Victims of domestic violence and sex assault should be able to call 911 without fear that they will be deported as a result of calling the police. And prosecutors should be able to prosecute cases to completion before ICE swoops in, deports a defendant, and denies justice for our community.

“Local district attorneys do not write federal immigration law. Congress does,” Dougherty said. “If Washington politicians are serious about immigration enforcement and public safety, they should focus on fixing the broken federal system instead of attacking Colorado prosecutors who are doing the real work of protecting communities.”

The inquiry comes just weeks after Dougherty’s office secured a guilty plea to all charges and a Life Without the Possibility of Parole (LWOP) sentence against the perpetrator of the deadly Boulder firebombing and antisemitic hate crime attack that injured numerous victims and killed 82-year-old Karen Diamond.

The defendant in that attack was reportedly in the United States illegally after overstaying a visa.

“I am committed to fighting for public safety, supporting victims, and doing justice. Congress, on the other hand, has been accomplishing remarkably little. Also, federal systems failed to stop the firebomber before innocent people were harmed, even when his attempted purchase of a firearm was denied due to his immigration status,” Dougherty said. “After the attack, I worked with our law enforcement partners, fought for the victims, and secured justice.”

Dougherty said the case highlights the disconnect between political rhetoric coming from Washington and the real work being done by prosecutors on the ground.

“Congressional politicians can send letters and hold press conferences,” Dougherty said. “My office is the one that prosecuted this violent offender, secured a life sentence without parole, and stood with victims throughout this horrific case.”

The District Attorney’s Office will continue focusing on violent crime prosecution, victim advocacy, and community safety.

Our office is committed to our public safety efforts for all people in Boulder County, and we will continue to fight for all community members, regardless of immigration status.

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Press releases are provided to Yellow Scene Magazine. In an effort to keep our community informed, we publish some press releases in whole.

Rep. Evans’ act of betrayal will define the remainder of his political career

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, May 22, 2025
CONTACT: Sara Loflin, Executive Director at 303-349-1617

DENVER: Following the 215-214 vote by House Republicans to pass their so-called “Big Beautiful Bill” of devastating cuts to the nation’s social safety nets to pay for even more tax breaks for the wealthiest Americans, ProgressNow Colorado, the state’s largest multi-issue progressive advocacy organization, condemned Rep. Gabe Evans’ deciding vote to pass the bill, and vowed to ensure every voter in Evans’ district understands the needless pain Evans just inflicted on his own constituents.

“Last night’s vote was the first real test of Gabe Evans’ integrity, and he blew it,” said ProgressNow Colorado executive director Sara Loflin. “For months, residents of Evans’ district begged him to step back from the brink and reject his colleagues’ plans to throw millions of Americans off the Medicaid rolls to fund tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans. Because of Gabe Evans’ vote, unless the Senate intervenes to stop this madness, thousands of residents of the Eighth Congressional District will lose their health coverage. Of those thousands, some will not fit Evans’ cheap stereotypes, and those people will suffer so the wealthiest Americans can have more tax cuts. Some of them will die.”

“Gabe Evans’ decisive vote to slash essential needs like health care and food assistance in order to give even more tax cuts to the wealthiest Americans will define what’s left of Evans’ career in public office,” said Loflin. “Gabe Evans chose Trump over Thornton, Musk over Milliken, and greed over Greeley. Evans has betrayed the trust of the voters who narrowly elected him to Congress, many of whom likely had no idea they were voting to cut funding to their own communities. There is no going back now. Before last night, the task was persuasion. From today until Election Day 2026, the job is to hold Gabe Evans accountable for what he did last night.”

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