Source: https://legisource.net/2018/09/13/court-strikes-colorados-human-smuggling-law-on-preemption-grounds/
Timestamp: 2019-04-25 07:54:27+00:00

Document:
In the recent case of Fuentes-Espinoza v. People, 2017 CO 98, 408 P.3d 445, the Colorado Supreme Court overturned the convictions of a man who violated Colorado’s law against smuggling human beings (§ 18-13-128, C.R.S.) because it determined that federal law preempts the Colorado law. The case explains preemption jurisprudence and the circumstances under which a court may find that federal law preempts state law.
Fuentes-Espinoza appealed his convictions, arguing that the federal “Immigration and Nationality Act”, 8 U.S.C. sec. 1101-1537 (2017) (INA) preempts § 18-13-128, C.R.S. The Colorado Court of Appeals rejected the preemption argument, concluding that Fuentes-Espinoza could not raise it on appeal because he had not raised it before the trial court. However, the Colorado Supreme Court chose to exercise its discretion to review the argument, and it agreed with Fuentes-Espinoza that the INA preempts § 18-13-128, C.R.S. Accordingly, the Court reversed the convictions on all counts.
The Colorado Supreme Court began its analysis by noting that the U.S. Supreme Court recognizes three forms of federal preemption: Express, field, and conflict preemption.
Express preemption occurs when Congress “withdraw[s] specified powers from the States by enacting a statute containing an express preemption provision” (quoting Arizona v. United States, 567 U.S. 387, 399 (2012).
Field preemption occurs when “the States are precluded from regulating conduct in a field that Congress, acting within its proper authority, has determined must be regulated by its exclusive governance.” Id. Congress’s intent to preempt a particular field may be inferred “from a framework of regulation ‘so pervasive . . . that Congress left no room for the States to supplement it’ or where there is a ‘federal interest . . . so dominant that the federal system will be assumed to preclude enforcement of state laws on the same subject.'” Id. (quoting Rice v. Santa Fe Elevator Corp., 331 U.S. 218, 230 (1947)).
Conflict preemption occurs when a state law conflicts with a federal law. Such a conflict exists (1) when compliance with both federal and state law is physically impossible and (2) in “those instances where the challenged state law ‘stands as an obstacle to the accomplishment and execution of the full purposes and objectives of Congress.'” Id. (quoting Hines v. Davidowitz, 312 U.S. 52, 67 (1941)).
In Fuentes-Espinoza’s case, the Court found that Colorado’s human smuggling law is preempted under the doctrines of both field and conflict preemption.
For more information, contact Richard Sweetman at (303) 866-4333.

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