Mocobizscene – Financial assistance for migrants in Aurora, Colorado has been suspended by officials who are attributing the decision to insufficient funding from the state and federal government.
Colorado has been one of the states most affected by the influx of undocumented individuals entering the country, alongside border states like Texas, Arizona, and California. In fact, the state capital, Denver, has received more migrants per capita than any other U.S. city that does not directly border Mexico. To support these individuals, the city has spent over $58 million, with an estimated $12 million expected to be reimbursed by the federal government. Both the state and the federal Department of Homeland Security have contributed just over $5 million towards this effort.
Denver Mayor Mike Johnston, who is a Democrat, has expressed his support for Republican Governor Greg Abbott of Texas in his efforts to seek assistance from the Biden administration in addressing the increasing influx of migrants.
Earlier this month, the mayor expressed concerns about the increasing number of people seeking housing and other forms of assistance in the city. He stated that the city is running out of space and funds to accommodate the needs of over 38,000 individuals. However, officials assured that there are enough contingency funds available until April to address the situation.
On Monday, the City Council in Aurora, located just east of Denver, made a decision with a 7-3 vote to pass a resolution that prohibits the transportation of migrants and individuals facing homelessness into the city.
In a recent interview with Newsweek, Aurora Mayor Mike Coffman highlighted the unique nature of Denver, which serves as both a city and a county. He pointed out that as a county, Denver has access to funding for human services programs that may not be available to the city alone.
The city of Aurora has never utilized any public funds for migrant support, according to the official. However, they do encourage individuals and nonprofit organizations to assist anyone in need.
Coffman expressed his dissatisfaction with the language used in the resolution and requested the sponsors to withdraw it. He proposed collaborating with them to make necessary revisions.
“They decided to proceed regardless, although they did accept an amendment that eliminated the requirement for intergovernmental agreements prior to the relocation of immigrants or individuals experiencing homelessness into our city. According to him, if this provision is approved, it would probably be difficult to enforce.”
“The responsibility to clean up this mess lies with our elected leaders in Washington, D.C. They must pass a comprehensive immigration reform that not only secures our borders but also fixes our broken immigration system,” said the mayor. He further emphasized that until this is done, the federal government should take full responsibility for all the costs associated with supporting the migrants who have recently arrived in the Denver Metro area.”
On February 16, officials introduced the resolution, pointing out the increasing financial obligations linked to a growing problem that is causing worry nationwide.
According to Councilman Steve Sundberg, it is important to inform our residents that while we understand and sympathize with the difficulties faced by certain individuals, our current financial situation prevents us from accommodating them.
According to him, the resolution closely resembled the information shared by officials in Colorado Springs earlier this year.
“We are not seeking to become a sanctuary city,” stated officials from El Paso County, emphasizing their stance on the matter. They made it clear that the responsibility lies with the Federal Government to take further action. However, they also expressed their commitment to making decisions based on fiscal responsibility, adherence to legal frameworks, and most importantly, the well-being of their residents.”
The city of Aurora has implemented a resolution that restricts the transportation of migrants into the city without a prior agreement to address the financial impact and coordination of services. This means that organizations will not receive any public funds, services, or staff resources for supporting migrants within city limits.
“But we realized that we have limited resources, just like they do. We don’t want to compete with nonprofits. Our goal is to support them in doing the important work they were meant to do and help them raise funds for it.”
In May 2017, Aurora officially declared that it was not a sanctuary city.
Councilwoman Danielle Jurinsky, who co-sponsored the resolution alongside Sundberg, believes that Aurora should not bear the sole responsibility for addressing the issue. She emphasizes the need for involvement from statewide officials, including Democratic Governor Jared Polis, as well as the federal government, to collectively address the matter.
According to Jurinsky, immigration is not limited to a single locality. It is both a federal and state issue. He emphasized the need for the governor to actively participate in addressing this crisis and make a statement. Jurinsky also highlighted that managing immigration should not be solely the responsibility of local city councils.
During an interview on Fox News Sunday, Polis emphasized that the issue at hand is not a partisan challenge, but rather an American challenge. He stressed the importance of Congress providing funding for additional Border Patrol agents and exploring other funding mechanisms.
Colorado Governor Jared Polis expressed concern about the impact of illegal immigration on housing costs in communities across the United States. He emphasized the need for Congress to take action to secure the southern border in order to prevent an increase in demand for housing. Polis acknowledged that the influx of undocumented immigrants puts additional strain on housing resources, leading to higher costs for everyone. In response, his state has taken steps to streamline the permitting process and construct more housing to address the growing demand.
During his visit to the White House on Tuesday, Governor Polis expressed to Forbes that President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris genuinely acknowledged and prioritized the challenges we encounter on a daily basis. He mentioned that this encompasses issues related to immigration and the administration’s future initiatives, although he did not delve into specific particulars.
