Denver, a city with just over 710,000 residents, has become the leading destination per capita for nearly 40,000 migrants arriving over the past year.
Denver’s Emerging Crisis
These newcomers, traveling north in buses from Texas after crossing the U.S. southern border, are straining the city’s public safety net. Starting February 5, Denver plans to restrict the duration of shelter stays for migrants, forcing those who exceed the limit onto the streets.
A Family’s Uncertain Future
A Venezuelan family of five, interviewed by NBC News, shared their imminent eviction from a city-funded hotel. The mother recounted, “Just yesterday they started throwing away the toys, the bicycles in the common area.”
“We don’t know where we will go next.”
A Hospital’s Call for Help
Denver Health, the city’s main hospital, is seeking additional funding from state and federal governments to address $10 million in unpaid medical bills from migrants.
$100 Million in Migrant Aid
Denver’s Mayor Mike Johnston estimates a need of $100 million throughout 2024 to address the costs of housing, education, healthcare, and other services due to the unforeseen surge in migrant arrivals.
A Call to Action
Dr. Steven Federico, a pediatrician and head of government and community affairs at Denver Health, shared the hospital’s current struggle, having sought assistance from state and federal bodies.
Unanswered Calls
“I think it’s been an unheeded call so far in terms of who’s going to be responsible for the health care of this population,” Federico commented to NBC News, noting the burden currently shouldered by safety net hospitals like Denver Health.
Local Migrant Support
A Department of Homeland Security spokesperson state emphasized their ongoing support for Denver in accommodating new migrants, saying, “We continue to urge Congress to approve our supplemental request, provide us with the resources to manage the Southwest Border in a humane, safe, and orderly manner, and provide communities across the country with the financial support they need,”
Emergency Care and Beyond
Preparing for a late shift in the emergency room, Dr. Kristi Rodrigues, a pediatrician, expressed her concerns about the post-ER care accessible to migrants.
Despite the hospital’s policy to treat anyone in need of emergency care regardless of immigration status or ability to pay, Rodrigues is troubled by the uncertainty of follow-up care, such as routine checkups and medication for potentially life-threatening conditions.
A Doctor’s Dedication Amidst Crisis
“I don’t mind being busy. I can see a lot of patients, I can stay late,” Rodrigues expressed. “But I don’t know if this person is going to get his medicine filled. I don’t actually know if this person is ever going to get into a pediatrician to be seen and taken care of. For me, that’s the part that pulls at my heartstrings.”
She noted an increase in cases of varicella (chicken pox) and issues caused by poor drinking water among migrants.
Welcoming Approach to Migrants
Contrasting other cities, Denver has shown a unique welcoming attitude towards migrants, with residents and nonprofits donating food, clothing, and even organizing carpools for migrant students, unlike the major protests seen in New York and Chicago.
Enrollment Surge
Adrienne Endres, responsible for multilingual education in the Denver Public School system, reported that since July, nearly 3,000 immigrant children, predominantly from Venezuela, have enrolled in the district.
She explained that schools receive yearly funding based on their October student count, making it challenging to accommodate the growing numbers.
Influx of Immigrant Children
At Bryant-Webster Dual Language School, Principal Brian Clark is witnessing an influx of five to ten new immigrant children each week, a number he formerly saw annually.
Endres noted that over 600 of these students arrive with minimal or no prior education, necessitating time in specialized classrooms for acclimatization.
Educating Newcomers
“We’ve gotten a lot of new kids really quickly, with a lot of needs,” Endres shared.
“It’s been getting creative in a lot of spaces. It’s been bringing a lot of other departments in. And it’s been an adventure that we’re glad to be on.”
The Limits of Hospitality
Administrators from both hospitals and schools in Denver acknowledge their current capability to manage the migrant influx but emphasize that this rate of growth is unsustainable without additional external funding.
Nationwide Call for Migrant Support Funding
In November of the previous year, a bipartisan group of 139 mayors, part of the United States Conference of Mayors (USCM), sent a letter to Congress, stressing the necessity of including funds to address the rising number of migrants and asylum seekers through the Shelter and Services Program (SSP).
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