Denver Question 2T election results 2024: End citizenship requirement for fire and police

DENVER (KDVR) — Denver voters are deciding on Question 2T, which would lift the citizenship requirement for employment for police officers and firefighters, allowing people who are not U.S. citizens to work as first responders.

Question 2T amends wording in the Denver City and Council Charter. Under the measure, Denver residents with proper work authorization in the United States, though without U.S. citizenship, could apply for work in the Denver Police and Fire Departments.

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If passed, legal permanent residents and Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients could apply to work. However, the measure does not allow candidates without work authorization or legal residency in the United States to be hired.

Proponents of Question 2T argue that many noncitizen residents already work in Denver's government and are eligible to work in the U.S. military. Other proponents point out it would align Denver's fire and police departments' requirements with federal law prohibiting employment discrimination based on the nation of origin.

Opponents of the measure question if training and resources would be spent on employees who do not intend to stay.

In 2018, the Denver Sheriff's Department ended its requirement for U.S. citizenship to hire noncitizen law enforcement officers. Question 2T would do the same for the Denver Police and Fire Departments, which are separate from the Denver Sheriff.

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