Denver opens second emergency shelter for migrants from Colorado border

Denver is opening an additional emergency shelter to accommodate more migrants arriving in the city from the southern border.

The new shelter will be located at a recreation center just like the first one that opened Dec. 6 when a bus of nearly 150 migrants unexpectedly came to the city. A third recreation center is being used as a reception center for the new arrivals where they can access emergency shelters or receive reunification assistance with friends and family.

The city is accommodating 271 individuals as of Wednesday, and a further 62 individuals are being accommodated in area churches, city officials said in a news release.

Approximately 600 migrants have made their way to Denver over the past several months, according to the city’s emergency operations center. Immigration advocates have been telling government officials since September that this would happen. The root causes of the migration, particularly in Venezuela due to political and humanitarian crises, were only getting worse and Colorado isn’t that far from the border.

With migrants continuing to arrive in Denver, additional capacity was needed to ensure basic needs are being met while also ensuring the city does not experience a humanitarian crisis of keeping hundreds of unhoused migrants displaced in the city.

Because of the emergency use of recreation centers, any member affected can visit any city recreation center without the typical upcharge fee. Recreation center members can contact [email protected] with questions.

Local faith-based groups, non-profits, and private sector partners interested in getting involved can contact the Emergency Operations Center at [email protected].

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