Gov. Polis warns about Medicaid cuts by Congress, criticizes tariffs on Canada, presses for ICE transparency

Gov. Jared Polis warned Thursday of the impact of potential Medicaid cuts in Colorado, reiterated his support for federal immigration authorities’ efforts in the state and criticized President Donald Trump’s tariffs.

Polis, joined by a Canadian diplomat, made the comments at a press conference he called to highlight Colorado’s “close partnership” with the United States’ northern neighbor amid an escalating trade war and Trump’s threats of annexing Canada. It was Polis’ widest-ranging press conference since Trump was inaugurated nearly two months ago. 

“It’s also important, very important, that Canadians know that not all Americans — in fact, most Americans — don’t feel the way that our current administration has been treating them is appropriate or good,” Polis said during the event in the state Capitol.

Here’s what else the governor discussed Thursday.

Impact of potential federal Medicaid cuts

Polis warned that potential federal cuts to Medicaid would “throw Coloradans off their health care” and put health clinics and hospitals in jeopardy. But the state also doesn’t have concrete backup plans in place as the members of Congress work through federal budget cuts called for by a framework passed late last month.

“We don’t know what’s happening yet,” Polis said. “I would be very concerned by the House-passed budget proposal that would throw 400,000 Coloradans off of their health care. We look forward to developing plans around what the federal government does.

“But at the end of the day, these are real Coloradans who will lose their health care — and real community health clinics and hospitals that won’t have a viable business model because many of their people that they serve won’t be able to pay.”

Congress narrowly passed the framework in late February, and it includes $2 trillion in spending cuts. All Democrats opposed it. The House Energy and Commerce Committee, which includes freshman Colorado U.S. Rep. Gabe Evans, a Republican from Weld County, has been tasked with finding $880 billion in cuts.

Medicaid, which serves poor people, makes up a huge piece of spending overseen by the committee and “major cuts” are the only way it could meet the spending goal, according to an analysis by the Kaiser Family Foundation. 

Polis said he has been lobbying Colorado’s congressional delegation against the cuts.

Exploding Medicaid costs have also been driving looming budget cuts at the state level. Medicaid makes up about a third of Colorado’s $16 billion state general fund. Keeping up with ballooning costs has eaten into the state’s spending growth cap enshrined in the Colorado Constitution, even as matching federal funding helps buoy the overall program.

Federal cuts could deal a devastating blow to the state services.

Support — and trepidation — around ICE operations

Six weeks after federal immigration authorities raided several dilapidated apartment complexes in the metro area, Polis reiterated that he still valued partnerships with federal law enforcement and that he was happy with their presence here. 

But he acknowledged he doesn’t fully know what they’re doing. 

“To the best of my knowledge, (U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement) have focused their operations on going after criminals,” the governor said. “And of course, we’re in full agreement that criminals should be deported. But I don’t have the level of transparency that I’d like into the details of the operations they’ve had in our state.”

A recent ICE raid in Adams County, intended to round up alleged gang members, resulted in no criminal charges. The agency has publicly disclosed 17 arrests of immigrants with criminal histories in metro Denver since Trump took office. But ICE has otherwise refused to say how many people were detained or provide other details about the operations.

Nationally, ICE arrested more immigrants in February than in any month in the past seven years, according to a Guardian analysis, and the agency has said it’s filled its detention center capacity of 47,600 people.

In Colorado, it is looking to add nearly 1,000 beds to its Aurora detention center. ICE has come under intense criticism in recent days after it detained a New York-based green card holder because of his involvement in protests supportive of Palestinians.

The debate about Colorado’s role in ICE’s operations is likely to escalate in the coming days: Legislative Democrats in the Capitol are preparing to introduce a bill that would provide further protections for immigrants lacking legal status here, though exact details remain unclear as its supporters have reworked the measure. 

Asked if he would support additional limitations on the state’s relationship with ICE, Polis demurred and said he wasn’t familiar with the proposal. State law currently limits local authorities’ cooperation with ICE in certain ways on immigration enforcement.

“We work closely with ICE, we work closely with the FBI,” he said. “Our federal law enforcement partners are an important part of keeping Colorado safe.” 

Noncommittal on labor bill, open to revised gun bill

Polis was similarly noncommittal about another contentious bill that’s inching closer to his desk. Senate Bill 5 would remove a piece of Colorado labor law that requires organized workers to pass a second election — after their initial union election — before they can negotiate the part of their union contract that deals with dues and fees.

The bill already passed the Senate and was set for its first House committee vote Thursday. It’s expected to pass the full House next.

Polis will then have a decision to make. He’s privately told the bill’s supporters that he will veto the measure unless Democratic lawmakers and their union allies reach a deal with the business community, which opposes the change. 

No such deal has been reached, and on Thursday, Polis wouldn’t say what he would do if the bill reached his desk without a business-backed deal behind it.

“I remain open to a solution that brings workers and businesses to the table in a way that’s stable for the state,” he said. When pressed, Polis said the debate was “about the right of workers to have a say on whether they’re forced to pay union dues.” 

Even without Colorado’s second election, unionized workers still would vote to accept the contents of the contracts they negotiate, including the provisions related to union dues. 

Polis was open about his satisfaction with the state of Senate Bill 3, which would prohibit the sale of certain semiautomatic weapons unless a person passed a background check and received training.

The bill initially would’ve barred the sale of a wide swath of firearms colloquially known as assault weapons, but the training and background check option was inserted at Polis’ behest. With that change, the bill is now on a path to passage into law.

“I’m confident the improvements made to the bill will … protect our Second Amendment rights here in Colorado and improve the education and gun-safety knowledge of gun owners,” Polis said.

Polis reiterates “friendship” with Canada, Mexico

Polis called the press conference to highlight the state’s “friendship” with Canada, setting a direct contrast with Trump’s ongoing antagonism and escalating trade war with the country. 

With Canadian Consul General Sylvain Fabi at his side, Polis listed some of his favorite Canadians — including Colorado Avalanche stars Cale Makar and Nathan McKinnon — and reiterated that the United States’ northern neighbor is “one of our closest allies in the world.”

The country is a vital trade partner, Polis said, and Trump’s tariffs will only hurt the economies of both nations — as well as Colorado’s.

He plans to sign an official proclamation to that effect Saturday, as well as light up the Colorado Capitol in Canadian red and white.

Polis plans a similar show of friendship with Mexican officials next month.

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