Denver defends encouraging migrants to leave for other cities over lack of resources
A Denver official was recorded telling newly arrived migrants they would “suffer” if they stayed in Denver and asked them to consider New York City or Chicago instead.
After a Denver official was recorded telling newly arrived migrants they would “suffer” if they stayed there and encouraging them to consider New York City or Chicago instead, the city on Wednesday defended the comments and said promoting “onward travel” is part of its strategy for addressing the influx of new residents.
Mayor Mike Johnston’s political director told a group of migrant families in Denver’s main shelter last week that the city has “received too many migrants and that is why we ran out of resources.” Denver is currently sheltering about 700 people, according to city data, part of a growing number of people being bused from Texas border towns to so-called sanctuary cities like Denver.
“If you stay here you are going to suffer even more and I don’t want to see this,” Andres Carrera, who is also Denver’s newcomer communications liaison, said in Spanish in a video obtained by NBC News affiliate 9NEWS. As he spoke, people appeared to listen intently while children sat on the floor near his feet.
Migrants hand out donated clothes to other migrants in Denver on Feb. 5.Helen H. Richardson / MediaNews Group / The Denver Post via Getty Images fileThe press secretary for the mayor’s office told NBC News on Wednesday that the city began “heavily encouraging" the newly arrived to leave Denver in February as its ability to offer them assistance diminished. Denver also began limiting the number of days migrants can stay in shelter that month.
The number of people in shelters has fallen precipitously from the Jan. 10 high of 5,210 people.
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