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A Denver city official is captured on video begging illegal immigrants to reconsider their choice to settle in the Mile High City, while also suggesting they move to other cities like New York or Chicago for better support Has been given.
The footage, obtained by 9NEWS, shows a candid moment of concern from the city's newcomer communications liaison Andres Carrera, who is also the political director for Mayor Mike Johnston (D).
Video circulated over the weekend showed Carrera speaking to a group of illegal immigrants seeking asylum in Denver since arriving Tuesday.
“If you want to stay here, we're not going to stop you… I'm here to tell you that your road is not over,” Carrera said in Spanish.
“If you stay here you're going to suffer even more, and I don't want to see that,” he said with a solemn warning.
Carrera's message was clear: Denver had reached its capacity due to the sheer number of immigrants, causing a shortage of resources. He suggested that cities such as New York and Chicago could offer better prospects, including long-term shelter and more job opportunities.
Carrera also offered to facilitate their transfer by providing free bus tickets to their chosen destination, with the note that although the city could assist in getting them closer to the Canadian border, it would not take them across. .
Despite Carrera's sincere appeal, it appears that the response from migrants was not what he expected. When surveyed about who wanted to leave for another city, the response was tepid. By contrast, when asked who wants to live in Denver, the room echoed “todos” – ‘everybody’.
According to 9NEWS, Denver has a policy of housing individual migrants for two weeks and families with children for six weeks, after which they must vacate the shelter. The measure is part of enforcement of tighter limits, possibly due to budget cuts.
Denver is a self-described sanctuary city because of its approach to handling federal immigration enforcement. The city has adopted a policy of welcoming and assimilating immigrants regardless of their legal status.