A group of migrants in Denver are refusing to leave an encampment under a bridge and near train tracks until the city meets a list of 13 demands. The demands include access to fresh and culturally appropriate ingredients for cooking, shower access with no time limits, medical visits, housing support, employment support, free consultations with an immigration lawyer, and more. The group stated that if their demands are met, they will leave the encampment and move to a city shelter. Denver Mayor Mike Johnston has been contacted for comment on the situation.
Denver Mayor Mike Johnston has recently announced the creation of the Denver Asylum Seekers Program in response to the city’s migrant crisis. The program provides asylum seekers with apartments for up to six months, job and skills training, food assistance, and free legal help with asylum applications. However, the program is limited to those who were in the city’s shelters on April 10 and capped at about 1,000 people. Those who arrived in Denver after April 10 will be provided with short-term shelter and assistance with onward travel. Nonprofits, such as Hope Has No Borders, are also working to support migrants in Denver and other parts of Colorado.
Jon Ewing, a spokesman for Denver Human Services, stated that the city’s offer to the migrants includes three meals a day and the option to cook their own meals if desired. The city aims to get families to leave the camp and move inside to receive support and assistance. They are willing to compromise and find a feasible path to success for the migrants. Denver is one of the U.S. cities struggling to manage the rising number of migrants being transported from Texas and other states. The city’s response includes the Denver Asylum Seekers Program and collaboration with nonprofits to support migrants.
The group of migrants living in the encampment has sent a list of demands to Mayor Mike Johnston before agreeing to move to city shelters. The demands focus on providing basic needs, such as access to food, showers, medical care, housing support, and employment assistance. They also seek legal support and privacy for families, as well as no abuse from shelter staff or constant monitoring by law enforcement. The group emphasizes the importance of keeping families together and requests a meeting with the mayor and program officials to discuss further improvements.
Denver city officials have been petitioning the group to move from the encampment to indoor shelters funded by the city. However, the migrants are standing firm on their demands and have stated that they will only leave the encampment if their needs are met. The tensions highlight the challenges facing cities like Denver in managing the increasing number of migrants arriving and the need to provide adequate support and resources. The situation calls for a collaborative effort between the city, nonprofits, and advocacy groups to address the needs of migrants and ensure their well-being and integration within the community.
