Denver could put a pause on taking in migrants

DENVER (KDVR) — Denver’s mayor said Friday the city is reaching a breaking point with migrant arrivals and could put a pause on taking in more people.

Johnston made the comments on KOA.

“We are considering it. We have to consider all options, particularly if there isn’t any help from the federal government,” Johnston said.

Meanwhile, thousands of migrants housed in city shelters will have to start leaving on Monday. It’s a process that will be long and hard, but according to the city, it has to be done.

Denver has now helped 38,275 migrants over the last year, and as of Friday night, 3,895 were staying in city shelters.

“That’s an incredible number of people to shelter, support, feed, help with transportation, deal with case management,” said Jon Ewing, with Denver Human Services.

He said the current operation is unsustainable.

Denver migrant shelters to be cleared out

Starting on Monday, 150 migrants in city shelters will be discharged. Then that number will fluctuate between 50-100 every day until all 3,800 are out of the 10 shelters currently run by the city.

“The hope and goal is that we are able to connect the vast majority with housing, or at least as many of them as we possibly can,” Ewing said.

The number of migrants arriving in Denver is coming down — 48 arrived on Thursday and 64 on Friday, a significant drop from the beginning of January, when that number was 200-300 daily.

The slowdown gives the city more capacity to help sheltered migrants find a more permanent solution. But Ewing said it will be an incredibly challenging effort.

“4,000 people when you have limited budget, when you have limited resources … very difficult to find enough housing as is, affordable housing as is, in the city of Denver — that’s going to be difficult,” Ewing said.

The city is still taking in donations for migrants at the Richard T. Castro Human Services Center at 1200 N. Federal Blvd., but they are encouraging people who want to help to donate to the Newcomers Fund. Money goes directly to the nonprofits supporting migrants.