The Finance and Governance Committee of the Denver City Council voted Tuesday to ask voters whether the U.S. citizenship requirement for police and firefighters should be dropped.
The new policy would allow legal permanent residents and Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA recipients to apply for police and fire positions. The bill has received support from the chiefs of the Denver police and fire departments, the Civil Service Commission, the Fire Department Union 858 President, and many other city commissions.
“It’s a national movement,” said council member Amanda Sandoval, one of the sponsors of the proposal along with Council President Jamie Torres. Torres said Colorado, California and Illinois have made similar changes to allow non-citizens to work in police and fire.
African migrants could benefit, too
Denver’s massive migrant influx has thrust issues surrounding immigration onto kitchen tables all over Denver. Some people find it heresy that city officials would even consider removing the citizenship requirement.