Gov. Jared Polis and Denver Mayor Mike Johnston share a love for political theater. Polis cultivates a centrist image while Johnston campaigned as tough-on-crime — but their handling of illegal immigration exposes the gulf between rhetoric and reality.

Take Polis’ recent denial that Colorado is a “sanctuary state” — even as laws he’s signed explicitly bar law enforcement from actively cooperating with ICE. After dismissing the Tren de Aragua threat as “imaginary,” he’s suddenly urging more federal immigration enforcement. Classic Jared — like playing tax-cutter on Fox News after hiking Coloradans’ taxes (ahem, “fees”).

Let’s be serious: If Polis believes what he’s saying, why isn’t he pushing to repeal the laws that make Colorado a sanctuary?

Likewise, Johnston downplayed warnings about Venezuelan gangs even after federal authorities named Denver their national headquarters. He’s already likened Trump-era immigration enforcement to Tiananmen Square and FDR-style Japanese internment camps. Now he’s on national TV boasting about being “very aggressive on enforcement” while waffling on whether to testify before Congress — claiming he only wants a “productive conversation” about immigration reform, whatever that means.

Let’s be real: If Johnston is so confident in Denver’s approach, why not defend it on Capitol Hill — even if it means tussling with Republicans?

In truth, neither Polis nor Johnston can defend the reality — including how sanctuary policies may harm the migrants they claim to protect.

“They’re going even further by hiding place of birth information with ‘XX’ designations, turning what should be simple identification processes into massive investigations,” said former Denver ICE field director John Fabbricatore, a visiting fellow at the Heritage Foundation and founder of SAFE Colorado.

When local authorities conceal information from ICE, they block a vital path to legal status — called “cancellation of removal” — intended for hard-working, law-abiding migrants who’ve lived here 10 years, have clean criminal histories and are raising families. Refusing to share pertinent data doesn’t just obstruct enforcement, Fabbricatore explained; it destroys the paper trail migrants need to prove continuous residence and qualify for legal status.

While national arrest numbers may seem eye-popping, immigration officials are tackling a staggering backlog: 600,000 priority criminals, roughly 300,000 annual visa overstays, and 1.4 million ordered for deportation by a judge but still here. When local law enforcement cooperation is restricted, agents will sometimes nab non-priority individuals — but the focus remains on these major categories.

Enter Buckley Space Force Base. Public opposition intensified since news broke that Buckley is working with ICE to host a temporary operations, staging and processing center for illegal immigrants. The hysteria is, again, overblown.

“I’m not privy to what they’re doing, but from what I know, it’s about the flight line, not the facility,” said Fabbricatore. “You need to stage people the day before for six-hour flights, ensuring they arrive during processing hours. And with large military aircraft, which are crucial to these operations, you must secure clearance from destination countries before entering their airspace.”

Meanwhile, the DEA is ramping up its own efforts against drug trafficking with numerous arrests.

“What you’ve seen so far this week is a renewed focus by DEA targeting people responsible for distributing and selling deadly drugs,” said Rocky Mountain DEA spokesman Steffan Tubbs. “Whether it’s ruining a 5 a.m. Tren de Aragua gang party or disrupting drug trafficking organizations, DEA will be relentless as we make our neighborhoods and the country safer for all Americans.”

Trump campaigned on “Operation Aurora.” Now, from ICE to DEA and beyond, he’s delivering — and that’s shocking to those who oppose enforcement.

“After four years, President Trump has everything figured out this go-around,” Fabbricatore reasoned. “Trump’s playing chess while everyone else is playing checkers.”

Really, this is about the difference between promising action and following through. And in politics, language isn’t a small thing. It’s everything.

When KDVR reported that Coloradans needed to “opt-in” for our TABOR refunds, confusion erupted online. As George Brauchler quipped, this is a state where you have to opt-in for TABOR but opt-out of a state parks pass?

At first, it sounded like a bureaucratic bait-and-switch — making taxpayers jump through hoops for refunds guaranteed by the Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights whenever the state over-collects revenue.

“TABOR is something you need to opt into so please, please check that box or again have whoever is preparing your taxes check that box,” the Colorado Department of Revenue’s communications director, Elizabeth Kosar, told KDVR. What changed?

When I asked Kosar directly, she clarified that, since 1999, state law requires eligible Coloradans to claim their refunds — typically by correctly filing their state taxes.

“None of the above experiences have been modified in the past years to create any ‘opt-in requirement,’” she wrote in a detailed email, conceding that “opt-in” was “not an accurate or correct term” and apologizing for the confusion.

So, no, this wasn’t another sneaky scheme to keep your TABOR refund — just poor wording that sparked confusion. Thankfully, the department quickly cleared it up. Refreshing, right?

But it’s a stark reminder of how language in government and politics — from state tax law to sanctuary immigration policies — can cause unnecessary misunderstanding. When politicians like Polis and Johnston misrepresent or muddy their positions, it’s not just a “communication flub.” It’s deliberate deception — with real-world consequences.

If they’re serious, Polis will back efforts to end Colorado’s sanctuary status, and Johnston will make his case before Congress. Anything less proves they aren’t.

Jimmy Sengenberger is an investigative journalist, public speaker, and longtime local talk-radio host. Reach Jimmy online at Jimmysengenberger.com or on X (formerly Twitter) @SengCenter.