Denver Mayor Michael Johnston is facing a formal demand from local migrants. A list of 13 conditions was submitted earlier this week, pressing the city to accommodate their needs to vacate the overcrowded encampments and relocate to shelters. Among these demands were calls for free immigration lawyers, fresh ingredients for self-preparation of meals, unlimited access to showers, frequent medical checkups, and uniform housing support.
Additional demands by the migrants encompass an orderly and just process for their eviction, job support, ensured privacy, the eradication of abuse, school transportation, and family unity. The migrants also requested a meeting with Denver city officials and a helpline to report the instances of mistreatment, tying these conditions to their relocation to shelters.
The demands emerged in light of the recent implementation of the Asylum Seekers Program by Mayor Johnston. Under this policy, recent migrants lodged in city-funded shelters in Denver receive food and rental aid for six months, as well as free legal assistance. However, the time span for their stay in shelters, which used to range between two weeks and 42 days, has been sharply curtailed to 24 to 72 hours.
This change, in addition to Denver’s accommodation of over 40,000 migrants last year at an expense of $68 million, has sparked intense criticism. Republican Representative Lauren Boebert condemned the migrant proposal, describing it as utterly unreasonable, and articulated her disapproval of Denver’s invitation for residents to host migrants in their residences.
