Justice, Not Chaos: How the Constitution Guides Our Immigration Policy

By Chaz Evanson, Candidate for Governor of Colorado

We are a nation of immigrants, but also a nation of laws. That dual truth must shape our policies and our compassion. In recent days, the Supreme Court reaffirmed a principle long overdue for national clarity: the rule of law applies at the border as surely as it applies within. In staying a lower court’s attempt to obstruct lawful deportations to third-party countries, the Court allowed the executive branch to resume an essential function of national sovereignty.

Let me be clear: I believe in due process, deeply. It’s a constitutional cornerstone. But we must also understand what it is not. Due process is not a blanket guarantee for those who knowingly enter our country unlawfully, bypassing our immigration system, disrespecting the millions who followed it lawfully, and violating the clearly established statutes of our sovereign nation. Illegal immigration is not a protected civil right. It is a legal violation.

Due Process Is for Citizens and Lawful Visitors, Not Open Borders. The Constitution’s guarantees are robust and beautiful, but they are not a suicide pact. The American people have every right to expect their government to enforce its laws justly and firmly. Due process, when rightly applied, ensures fairness in legal procedures, but it does not erase the law itself. It does not rewrite immigration statutes. It does not mean unlimited appeals, endless delays, or the inability to remove individuals who have been lawfully ordered deported, particularly those who cannot be returned to their country of origin and must be resettled elsewhere.

A government that cannot say “no” at its borders is no government at all. That is not a lack of compassion, it is a defense of order, sovereignty, and the protection of the blessings of liberty for those who come here legally and for those who live here already.

Truth in Love, Defending Law Without Hatred. My position is this: we must welcome those who seek legal entry through the front door, while firmly shutting the back door that has been exploited for far too long. Those who attempt to enter illegally are not enemies, but neither are they above the law. Enforcing immigration law is not unchristian. In fact, Scripture calls civil authorities “ministers of God” tasked with executing justice (Romans 13). Justice requires both mercy and accountability.

No nation can long survive without borders. No republic can sustain itself without citizenship. No state can flourish where its laws are selectively applied or constantly ignored. The crisis of illegal immigration is not about race, fear, or exclusion, it is about the survival of our legal order, and with it, the freedoms it protects.

A Constitutional and Compassionate Immigration Policy

Here is what I stand for as Governor of Colorado:

• Legal immigration must be protected and prioritized. We will always welcome those who follow the lawful process and contribute to the flourishing of our state and nation.

• Illegal immigration must be deterred and reversed. This includes cooperating with federal authorities, refusing to participate in unconstitutional sanctuary schemes, and ensuring no taxpayer benefits are misappropriated to individuals here unlawfully.

• Due process must be respected but not misused. The Constitution gives Congress the authority to set immigration law. The courts must not invent rights where none exist, nor interfere with the enforcement of lawful removal orders.

• Deportation to third-party countries must be an option. When repatriation to one’s country of origin is impossible, sending migrants to safe third countries is a lawful, rational, and necessary measure. It is not cruel; it is common sense.

Restoring Order So Liberty May Flourish. I am not interested in political theater or partisan soundbites. I am interested in restoring truth, order, and constitutional fidelity to every level of government. Colorado will not be a haven for lawlessness, nor will it turn a blind eye to federal dysfunction. As Governor, I will lead with courage, clarity, and compassion.

We can have strong borders and generous hearts. We can have due process without abandoning the rule of law. We can be a nation of immigrants without becoming a nation without borders.

Let us, then, restore what is good, reform what is broken, and protect what makes America worth immigrating to in the first place.