Denver seeks donations for more than 150 migrants who arrived unexpectedly

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DENVER — Dozens of cots were placed throughout a Denver recreation center Dec. 6 to make emergency shelter for approximately 150 migrants who arrived in Denver unexpectedly.

The migrants arrived in Denver via bus and because the group exceeded existing capacity in the city, the Denver Office of Emergency Management (OEM) established the shelter at the rec center to create more space. As of Dec. 10, more than 150 migrants were staying at the shelter, with more expected to arrive.

The Denver OEM sent the following information in a Dec. 10 press release:

  • 152 migrants are currently being accommodated in the city’s emergency shelter.
  • 48 migrants have been relocated to a church-run shelter site.
  • 41 additional migrants arrived at local homeless shelters overnight.
  • 73 migrants are currently preparing for reunification to connect with family or friends and transitioning out of the city-managed emergency shelter.
  • 13 migrants have left the city-managed emergency shelter on their own.

 

Citing the “security and sensitivity of this evolving situation,” the Denver OEM is not releasing the name of the rec center.

In a Dec. 8 press conference, Denver Mayor Michael Hancock's deputy chief of staff, Evan Dreyer, said the community has been "extremely generous" in offering support to the migrants.

Dreyer estimates about 300 migrants have arrived in Denver over the last few months, but that the number "increased significantly" over the last week.

Mikayla Ortega, a spokesperson for the Denver OEM, said the migrants have been "elusive" in talking to city officials, and that there has been little consistency in their stories about how they arrived to the U.S. What the Denver OEM does know is that the migrants were dropped off at Union Station late Monday night and Tuesday morning and eventually made their way to the Denver Rescue Mission.

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"From what we can tell, a majority of these immigrants have come from the country of Venezuela," said Stephen Hinkel, the public relations manager at Denver Rescue Mission. Hinkel said he's not sure which U.S. city the people were sent from, or how they learned of Denver Rescue Mission once they arrived to Union Station.

"This is a community effort," said Hinkel, who added that the Denver Rescue Mission is partnering with other nonprofits and city agencies to hep the migrants. "We all need each other's help to navigate life. And in a city, when you're there for the first time, that person will take as much help as we can give them, and we're going to try to give them that help."

Dreyer, in his press conference, said this week's arrival does not appear to be organized by another state's government.

Republican leaders across the U.S. have been sending migrants to Democrat-led cities like New York City and Washington, D.C. as a way to protest illegal immigration. Earlier this year, migrants from Venezuela arrived at Martha's Vineyard on flights paid for by Florida’s Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis in a move that many people, including some republicans, decried as a cruel political stunt against unsuspecting migrants, many of whom did not speak English.

However, Ortega said the City and County of Denver has been "proactive" in planning for a situation like that. 

[Related: Harvard lawyer suing Ron DeSantis over Martha's Vineyard migrants said briefs could also be used in Texas]

Ortega said the city is working with its nonprofit partners to help connect the migrants with resources. She said the best way for people to help at this time is through monetary donations. The Denver Community Church, Ortega said, is raising money to help the migrants, as is the Colorado Hosting Asylum Network.

"There's a lot of unknowns and a lot of fear. Many people have been traveling for days if not months," said Bianey Bermudez with the Colorado Immigrant Rights Coalition. "Along with that journey comes a lot of trauma."

"We really just want to create a very welcoming environment," Bermudez added.

Coloradans for Immigrant Rights is another one of the groups that is organizing help. On Twitter, the organization put a call out for volunteers to work at its welcome center. They are in search of translators, people who can host families, people who can provide meals and more help. More information is available here.

The city set up a donation drop-off center at Iglesia Ciudad de Dios (255 W Warren Ave. Denver, CO 80227). Th church is accepting donations on Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 4 p.m.- 7 p.m.

"Overall, we are in high demand for any new clothing for adults in S, M & L with special need for medium in both men’s and women’s," city officials said in a press release. "There is also a special need for winter weather clothing."

The drop-off center is specifically requesting:

  • New men’s underwear
  • New women’s underwear
  • New women’s sports bras
  • Long sleeve shirts (men’s, women’s and unisex)
  • Jeans (men’s and women’s with special need for M)
  • New Socks (men’s and women’s)
  • New sweatshirts and sweatpants (S, M & L, both men’s and women’s)
  • Closed toe gym shoes (both men’s, women’s, boys, girls, infants)
  • Shoelaces
  • Winter coats and pullovers (men’s, women’s, children, and infants)

 

Organizations who are willing and able to help the migrants should get in touch with the Emergency Operations Center at EOC_Liaison2@denvergov.org.

This is a developing story and will be updated.

Kyle Cooke is the digital media manager at Rocky Mountain PBS. You can reach him at kylecooke@rmpbs.org.

Jeremy Moore is the senior multimedia journalist at Rocky Mountain PBS. You can reach him at jeremymoore@rmpbs.org.