DENVER — Other Colorado cities aren't stepping up to help Denver deal with the overwhelming migrant crisis.
Denver has a $180 million problem, and no other cities seem to have the resources or desire to help. It’s becoming clear that Denver isn’t getting much aid from other Colorado municipalities when it comes to solving the migrant crisis. Some cities are even telling migrants to stay away.
"We are working on trying to build a coalition of other cities who'd say we think everyone can do their part," Denver Mayor Mike Johnston told city council at a recent meeting.
For months now, leaders in Denver have asked other cities to step up. None have.
"In Colorado Springs, we definitely do not want to welcome this crisis to our community," said Ryan Trujillo, deputy chief of staff for operations for the mayor of Colorado Springs. "We recognize that Denver is in crisis mode though we do not have the resources to house an influx of migrant population."
Trujillo makes it very clear the city won’t be changing its mind.
"We definitely do not want to welcome this crisis to Colorado Springs," Trujillo said at one point in the interview with 9NEWS.
"This is definitely not a crisis that we want to invite to our community," he added.
In Wheat Ridge, a deal Denver tried to make with a private hotel to house migrants fell apart before it was even finalized. In Lakewood, the mayor says any migrants needing services there will be referred back to Denver. in Aurora, Denver was forced to close a hotel shelter it rented out for migrants once the public found out about it.
Governor Polis did not even mention migrants in his state of the state address. He told 9NEWS it was a federal issue, not a state one. Several cities that 9news contacted Tuesday, like Aurora, also said this is a federal issue that needs to be addressed on the federal level.
The question is, if congress or the president don't do anything, will it always just be Denver’s problem alone?
Denver has always said that it is a welcoming city and wants to aid anyone that arrives. With a $180 million budget shortfall this year because of migrant arrivals, it's unclear what the city will do next.
"The impact so far in Boulder has been pretty minimal," said Elizabeth Crowe, deputy director of the Boulder Department of Housing and Human Services said of the migrant situation in Colorado. "Not even close to what Denver is seeing."
While Boulder encourages nonprofits in the community to help migrants in Denver, it has not offered to help house or pay for migrants arriving in Colorado.
It's unclear to what degree Denver leaders like Johnston have directly asked cities around the state and region to house or offering aid to migrants. Publicly, he's has said many times that he hopes a regional solution can be found to take the weight off Denver.
In Boulder, Crowe says the extent her city is willing and able to help Denver is allowing employees to volunteer at shelters.
"We have for the last year or so been enabling our staff to go down and work some shifts at sheltering operations in Denver and will definitely continue to promote that opportunity," Crowe said. "Smaller communities mean we have fewer of the resources available. Fewer sheltering options than Denver."
No one denies there’s a problem in Denver, but no one wants to make it their problem too.
"We definitely do not want to welcome this problem to our community," Trujillo said.
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