Denver still supporting thousands of migrants, asylum seekers with emergency shelter

Denver is continuing its efforts to shelter incoming migrants and asylum seekers to the city, serving about 2,380 people since the start of December.

City officials said in an update Tuesday that 140 additional migrants arrived in Denver overnight.

Mayor Michael Hancock issued an emergency declaration on Dec. 15 in response to a surge in migrant arrivals in the city. Many of the migrants have traveled to Denver from El Paso and other southern border towns by bus, and immigration advocates attribute the influx in part to uncertainty over the fate of the U.S. government’s Title 42 policy, a pandemic-era measure that has allowed the swift expulsion of millions of asylum seekers at the border.

As of 11 a.m. Tuesday, Denver housed 597 migrants in its emergency shelters while partnering shelters across the metro area sheltered 720 migrants. The city has shut down the warming centers it set up last week as the severe arctic cold front passed through the city, where it sheltered about 3,000 people each night between the Denver Coliseum and other partnering warming centers.

Clothing and other donations are still needed to support the ongoing arrivals of migrants and asylum seekers, the city said. Donations are accepted from 5 to 8 p.m. on Mondays and from 9 a.m. to noon on Thursdays at Temple Emanuel at 51 Grape Street in Denver.

Denver is also still in need of both medical and non-medical volunteers to support the migrants. Anyone interested in applying can do so on the city’s Office of Emergency Management website.