Denver Daily Brief: Immigration Order, License-Plate Readers, and a Wind-Driven Fire

Top local headlines

Denver blocks federal immigration authorities from city buildings

Mayor Mike Johnston signed an executive order directing city agencies to bar federal immigration enforcement from city-owned and city-controlled buildings. City officials framed it as a preventative step meant to protect residents and keep city services accessible, while acknowledging it could sharpen tensions with federal agencies.

License-plate readers: Denver moves away from Flock

Denver says it will not renew its contract with Flock Safety for automated license plate readers when the deal expires March 31. The city plans to transition the system to a new vendor and tighten rules around data access and retention, after months of community criticism about surveillance and data sharing.

Wind-driven grass fire closes I-25 in Thornton

A fast-moving grass fire near 84th Avenue and Huron Street sent heavy smoke across Interstate 25 on Wednesday, forcing closures and triggering evacuations around a nearby high school and surrounding neighborhoods. Fire crews contained the blaze after a rapid response in gusty, red-flag conditions, and investigators are working to determine what sparked it.

Roadwork alert: US 36 and I-270 bridge maintenance over I-25

CDOT says nighttime maintenance is set to start March 1 on the US 36 bridge over I-25, with lane shifts and single-lane closures during overnight hours. The goal is to replace worn components and extend the bridge’s service life, but drivers should plan extra time if they travel the corridor late evenings and early mornings.

What to watch next

• More details are expected as Denver rolls out the replacement for the license-plate reader program ahead of the March 31 deadline.
• RTD Transit Police says two new substations are now active to increase officer visibility and speed up response times across the metro.
• RTD is also inviting residents to stop by Colfax as work continues on bus rapid transit station elements, including another arch lift scheduled for March 2.

Sources

• https://www.axios.com/local/denver/2026/02/26/denver-mayor-bars-federal-immigration-city-buildings
• https://kgnu.org/denver-officially-ends-flock-contract-thornton-grass-fire-closes-i-25-introduced-bill-would-protect-minors-using-ai-chatbots/
• https://coloradosun.com/2026/02/25/thornton-grass-fire/
• https://www.codot.gov/news/2026/february-2026-news/i270-us36-bridge-maintenance-over-i25-march2026
• https://www.rtd-denver.com/community/news/3-things-to-know-2-27-2026