Photo: SUZANNE CORDEIRO / AFP / Getty Images
Denver authorities are feeling the strain it creates on their resources the immigration crisis caused by the increasing number of immigrants being bussed from Texas to the capital of Colorado.
The City of Denver has a policy for provide emergency shelter to recently arrived immigrants who have been processed by US immigration officials, since May 8, in which they commit to comply with federal guidelines and to work as well connecting everyone who comes to Denver with supportive services and resources, regardless of their immigration status.
But since August the number of immigrants, most of them Venezuelans, arriving in Denver from the border with Mexico has doubled, the local Department of Human Services said Friday.
The new lawsuit for immigrant assistance services comes just two months after Mike Johnston took office as Denver mayor and promise not to use municipal public funds for social services to help immigrants.
At the same time, the imminent start of fall is also leading to more cases of homeless people requiring housing.
Contrary to what happened between November 2022 and last May, the majority of recently arrived immigrants (60%) ask to stay in Denver. And it is no longer just men, but a high percentage of families with children.
According to Victoria Aguilar, spokeswoman for the Denver Department of Human Services (DDHS), in the last eight weeks, 21 buses arrived from Texas with a total of 800 immigrants, in addition to those who arrived in Denver on their own.
Since May 18, some 8,000 immigrants have arrived in Denver on 210 buses sent by Texas Republican Gov. Greg Abott.
DDHS currently provides direct or indirect services to 16,836 immigrants, compared to 9,300 last May, when then-Mayor Michael Hancock declared a state of emergency in Denver due to “exhaustion of resources and budget.”
The total cost of those services is already over $23 million, when Denver’s usual annual budget was $2.5 million and it was expected to spend no more than $11 million in all of 2023.
“We are not in an emergency situation. We are definitely starting to feel some pressure with the increasing number and multiple buses per week,” the spokeswoman said.
He added that if the situation changes, as happened in December or May, definitely Mayor Johnston will not hesitate to issue an emergency declaration.
Aguilar emphasized that assistance to migrants, including housing, has not interfered with homeless assistance programs because there is better coordination between DDHS and local assistance organizations.
But those charities, including food banks and health clinics, are also at risk of running out of resources to continue their programs, as it happened three months ago.
Since last September 1, the DDHS has set up a donation center in Denver for the New Arrivals Fund, such as items for personal use and especially warm clothing for winter.
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