The number of immigrants arriving from South and Central America has more than tripled since Denver’s mayor declared the humanitarian crisis had pushed the city to its breaking point three weeks ago.

The crisis, which began spilling into Denver from America’s porous border with Mexico a few months ago and ballooned into a full-blown emergency in Denver, has also threatened to sour the relationship between New York City and Colorado’s Democratic governments. Colorado is actively sending immigrants to their “desired destination” – meaning cities in other states, notably New York City and Chicago. 

Colorado steps in to transport immigrants to other states

On Dec. 15, when Mayor Michael B. Hancock issued an emergency declaration, the city estimated roughly 800 immigrants – mostly from Venezuela – had arrived by bus to the Mile High City.

At the time, the city was housing – with its partners – about 500 immigrants in temporary shelters.

As of Jan. 5, that number has swelled to nearly 3,800, according to data compiled by the City and County of Denver’s Joint Information Center. That day, the city and its partners were sheltering 1,663 immigrants.

That’s a far cry from 90 immigrants who were dropped off at Union Station downtown early in December. 

The number of sheltered immigrants on Jan. 5 – 1,663 – is second highest only to Jan. 2, when Gov. Jared Polis’s administration stepped in to help transport immigrants to their desired final destination in other states. On that day, the city was sheltering more than 1,800 immigrants.

The big swell in the number of immigrants in city and nonprofit shelters – which means the taxpayer money being spent to care for the new arrivals also exponentially jumped- is likely what prompted the city’s emergency declaration and Polis’ decision to actively send them to other states.   

The majority of the new arrivals have a final destination other than Denver, officials and immigrant advocates have said.

About 70% of the Denver arrivals are traveling on to New York City, Chicago, Atlanta and Miami, the Governor’s Office said in an email to the Denver Gazette.

Severe weather conditions, worker shortages and cancellations because of the sub-zero temperatures just before the Christmas holiday meant many of these immigrants were stranded in Denver, the Polis administration said.

As of the beginning of the year, the city has incurred more than $3 million in expenses and has been reimbursed by the state for $1.5 million.

That figure is likely to rise as the city processes payments, Jill Lis, a spokesperson for the city and county of Denver, said.

The city of Denver has worked with getting migrants to the final destination through companies like Greyhound since early December.

Why immigrants from South America choose Denver

The influx of fleeing immigrants is symptomatic of the U.S. border crisis with Mexico. These new immigrant arrivals have been coming from El Paso, Texas, illustrating how the calamity has spilled over into other cities, including Denver.

Officials and nonprofit workers have offered theories why the immigrants have picked Denver as a destination. While city officials point to El Paso’s relative proximity to Denver, organizations that support the immigrant community highlight the resources and diversity in the community, as well as its status as a “sanctuary city.”

A “sanctuary city” does not carry a precise legal definition, but the designation often refers to communities that, through proclamations or concrete action, open their arms to immigrants who illegally cross or outstay their visa and limit cooperation with the federal government in enforcing immigration laws. These decisions could include, for example, expressly prohibiting city workers from asking about people’s immigration status and rebuffing requests by federal authorities to detain people beyond what the laws stipulate.

Both Hancock and Polis have called on the federal government to respond to the humanitarian crisis by enacting real immigration reform.

Their action to send the immigrants to New York City drew the ire of Big Apple’s mayor, Eric Adams, who sharply criticized Polis for Colorado’s decision to send immigrants to his city’s doorstep.

“At one time we had to deal with Republican governors sending migrants to New York,” Adams said during a press conference this week. Now we’re dealing with Democratic governors sending migrants to New York. This is just unfair. It’s unfair to El Paso. It’s unfair to Chicago, Houston, Washington, New York City. This is unacceptable, what’s happening.

Politico earlier quoted Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot as sharply criticizing Polis and calling Colorado’s move “inhumane.”

“It is simply inhumane for any governor, whether Republican or Democrat, to address this challenge by giving these poor, traumatized migrants a one-way ticket out of town and washing their hands of the matter at our literal and figurative expense,” Lightfoot told Politico in a statement. “For shame.”

When asked about Lightfoot’s characterization of Colorado’s actions, Adams said, “Her remarks, do I agree with them? … You’re damn right I do. For the governor of Colorado to say that I’m going to push the problem to the city and didn’t even notify us. Everyone knows what we’re going through. And for that governor to do that – I spoke with the mayor last week – this is just unacceptable.”

Both Chicago and New York’s officials have repeatedly said the influx of thousands of immigrants to their cities have strained resources. 

Polis told the Denver Gazette editorial board on Thursday that “Denver did notify them,” referring to New York. “They were aware.”

He also defended the state’s action, saying Colorado is merely helping the immigrants get to their final destinations.

“About 70% want a destination other than Denver, and we are just a point in their journeys,” Polis said. “It is a $90 trip from El Paso to Denver, which puts them in a major transportation hub. Their most popular destinations are Chicago, New York, Atlanta and Miami – places where they know someone. We are trying in the most humane way possible to get them where they want to go.”