Denver shelters reach capacity — start evicting 800 migrant families: 'Humanitarian and fiscal crises'

Migrant shelters in the sanctuary city of Denver, Colorado, have reached capacity and started kicking out families, Fox News Digital reported this week.

According to the news outlet, approximately 800 migrant families that are currently residing in Denver's shelters will be forced to leave as new arrivals continue to pour into the city. On Monday, 140 of the families were ejected from the shelters, city officials reported. Over the next few weeks, the remaining families will be forced to find other accommodations. Newsweek reported that the forced evictions could impact more than 3,000 individuals.

Denver has begun enforcing stay limits since its shelters have reached capacity with roughly 3,813 people. According to the city, it has supported 38,380 migrants to the tune of $42 million, as of February 5. Due to the increased financial burden, the city estimates it could be forced to "cut as much as $180 million from its annual budget."

Democratic Mayor Mike Johnston stated last week, "We have filled every single hotel room that we have available in the city and county of Denver."

"Now we have the terrible decision that if we don't start exiting folks, we will have 250 folks that will arrive today or the day after who don't have anywhere to go at night," he added.

Johnston's press secretary, Jordan Fuja, told Newsweek that Denver is "out of shelter space."

"We are out of staff. And we are facing a budget deficit of up to $180 million to cover sheltering costs," Fuja said. "If the federal government does not succeed in passing common-sense support for cities, it will mean significant budget cuts for cities like Denver and significantly scaling back sheltering services for migrants."

"Denver is facing humanitarian and fiscal crises with the influx of arrivals to our city and limited resources," Fuja added.

Laura Swartz, a Denver Department of Finance spokesperson, noted that the city is already pulling funds out of its contingency reserves to help cover the costs of supporting the migrant crisis. Those funds are expected to run out around April.

The city's hospitals are also feeling the weight. Fox News Digital reported that Denver Health had served 8,000 illegal migrants, recording about 20,000 visits last year. The migrants received services including emergency room treatments, primary care, dental care, and childbirth, the news outlet stated. As a result, the Denver Health system is facing a financial shortfall of $22 million.

KUSA reported earlier this week that other Colorado cities are not stepping up to help Denver.

Ryan Trujillo, deputy chief of staff for operations for the mayor of Colorado Springs, stated that his city "definitely do[es] not want to welcome this crisis to our community."

"We recognize that Denver is in crisis mode, though we do not have the resources to house an influx of migrant population," Trujillo remarked.

Meanwhile, residents in Lakewood are concerned that city officials have plans to convert their community into another sanctuary city.

Karen Morgan, a Lakewood resident, told KDVR that officials have not used the word "sanctuary" but have used terms such as "good neighbor, welcoming, inclusive, supporting, sheltering."

City officials pushed back on the rumors, stating, "Lakewood City Council is not considering designating Lakewood as a 'sanctuary city.'"

The city's mayor, Wendi Strom, said, "I would like to make it very clear that City Council has never, in my time sitting on council, has never had a conversation around becoming a sanctuary city."

"I have met with my city manager … and there was not a request for Lakewood to house migrants at all," Strom continued. "This has created a lot of frustration and anger in our community that is not necessary. We are not making these big, sweeping changes. And these would be changes that we would bring to the public if that was something that we were going to do. But that's not happening."

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