Lack of access to legal representation costs Colorado’s state and local economies.
The Colorado Fiscal Institute estimates that from FY 2021-2023, the collective cost of lost labor income to immigrants detained in the course of their case is about $10 million.
Furthermore, CFI estimates that across those three years, Colorado’s state and local economies lost out on over $15.8 million in economic activity, and state and local governments missed out on more than $894,000 in taxes.
Colorado should allocate more money to the state Immigration Legal Defense Fund to match the growing demand, which will strengthen statewide justice as well as local communities and economies.
A $5 million annual allocation to the Immigration Legal Defense Fund over five years is a scalable investment that would build on the Fund’s current success, expand the capacity for representation, and create a pathway for full universal legal representation in the state.
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