Colorado State Treasurer Dave Young has joined a group of 16 state fiscal officers in sending a letter to President Donald Trump, raising concerns about the economic impact of recent federal immigration enforcement operations. The coalition, which includes treasurers, auditors, and comptrollers from several states, warns that aggressive enforcement activities are causing significant disruptions to state economies and threatening public revenues.
“As state fiscal officers, our job is to protect the financial health of our states and the services our residents rely on,” said Colorado State Treasurer Dave Young. “When federal immigration enforcement actions disrupt workplaces, empty business districts, and slow economic activity, they directly weaken state revenues and put essential public services at risk. We are urging the administration to pursue enforcement policies that protect public safety without destabilizing state and local economies.”
The joint letter highlights how increased enforcement sweeps have led to fear in business districts and jeopardized tax revenue needed for essential services. The officers wrote: “The economy fundamentally depends on people producing goods, providing services, and participating in commerce as workers, consumers, and business owners. For an economy to function, people must feel safe to go to work, operate businesses, travel to commercial districts, and engage in everyday economic activity. When fear disrupts these basic conditions, production slows, consumption declines, and the economic system that supports public revenues begins to break down.”
According to reports from various industries such as agriculture, construction, hospitality, and manufacturing across multiple states—including Colorado—businesses are experiencing workforce shortages and operational shutdowns due to these enforcement actions. This has resulted in declining revenues that could further strain already pressured state budgets.
In Colorado specifically, immigrants play a significant role in key sectors. Approximately 10,000 immigrants serve as cooks while 52,000 work in construction within the state; these groups represent 23% of all cooks and 20% of construction workers statewide. In addition to their labor contributions, undocumented individuals paid an estimated $436.5 million in Colorado state and local taxes during 2022.
The letter also underscores the responsibilities held by fiscal officers: “We manage billions in public funds, oversee state investments, and ensure our governments can meet their obligations to citizens. We cannot stand by while federal enforcement policies create economic chaos that undermines our ability to fulfill those responsibilities.”
The coalition calls on President Trump’s administration to reduce disruptive enforcement activities immediately. They urge the adoption of policies designed to minimize harm to businesses and workers while consulting with state fiscal officials before launching any operations likely to affect local economies or government revenues.
For more information about the Colorado Department of the Treasury’s mission or activities visit colorado.gov/treasury.
