Migrants rest at a makeshift shelter in Denver on Friday, Jan. 6, 2023. Over the past month, nearly 4,000 immigrants, almost all Venezuelans, have arrived unannounced in the frigid city, with nowhere to stay and sometimes wearing T-shirts and flip-flops. In response, Denver converted three recreation centers into emergency shelters for migrants and paid for families with children to stay at hotels, allocating $3 million to deal with the influx. (AP Photo/Thomas Peipert)
Migrants rest at a makeshift shelter in Denver on Friday, Jan. 6, 2023. Over the past month, nearly 4,000 immigrants, almost all Venezuelans, have arrived unannounced in the frigid city, with nowhere to stay and sometimes wearing T-shirts and flip-flops. In response, Denver converted three recreation centers into emergency shelters for migrants and paid for families with children to stay at hotels, allocating $3 million to deal with the influx. (AP Photo/Thomas Peipert)

AURORA | Arapahoe County commissioners approved a $10,000 donation to assist Denver with the influx of migrants that have arrived in the city over the past several weeks.

The commissioners approved the donation last week to the Newcomers Fund, the county announced Monday.

Over the winter, about 4,000 migrants, mainly from Central and Latin America, arrived voluntarily in Denver beginning in December. Arrivals declined significantly this spring until the week of May 9, when a significant number of people began traveling to the city from the Southern border.

The city has reactivated its Emergency Operations Center to help coordinate assistance for the arrivals and has spent nearly $16 million in migrant support since December, according to a presentation delivered to the board at a study session last week.

The presentation noted that Arapahoe County has no shelter location and that migrant resources are not readily available in the county.

Created by the Rose Community Foundation, the Newcomers Fund has been collecting money that will be distributed to the nonprofits who are directly assisting migrants.

“The city of Denver has carried the burden of the migrant influx costing several million dollars,” Commissioner Bill Holen said in a statement. “By donating $10,000 to the Newcomers Fund, it will allow nonprofits to continue providing services while we continue addressing this situation.”

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1 Comment

  1. Concerned individuals are encouraged to donate to the Newcomer Fund. I commend Arapahoe County for its restrained response. How Denver justifies spending $16,000,000 of municipal funds in 6 months for non resident services is mind boggling.

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