In recent days, authorities in Denver reportedly encouraged new immigrants to pack up for New York and other U.S. cities, warning them that if they remained at the Colorado Capitol, they would “suffer more,” according to video footage obtained. ” he warned.
According to the video, city employee Andres Carrera told a group of migrants staying inside the shelter that Denver did not have the resources to help them and made it clear that their “opportunity is over.” It was obtained by 9 News and aired over the weekend.
“If you want to stay here, we’re not going to stop you…I just want to let you know that your path is not over,” Carrera told the group that arrived in Denver on March 26. I’m here,” he said in Spanish.
“If you stay here, you will suffer even more. I don’t want to see this.”
Carrera, the city’s new spokesperson, also said the city “accepted so many immigrants that we ran out of resources,” a 9News clip showed.
Instead, the city offered immigrants the opportunity to ride, at the city’s expense, on buses to other destinations, such as the Big Apple, which is struggling with a large influx of immigrants.
“New York has so much more to offer,” said Carrera, who is also Mayor Mike Johnston’s political director. She says, “Chicago offers so much more, so I recommend going somewhere that has long-term shelter. There are also more job opportunities there.”
“You don’t have to walk anywhere. We can buy you a free ticket. You can go to any city. We’ll take you to the Canadian border, wherever you are,” Carrera told the group. However, the city has made it clear to authorities that it will only accept migrants near the northern border, and not if they cross the border.
Facing possible budget cuts, the city of Denver is holding individual immigrants for two weeks and immigrant families with children for six weeks before removing them from shelters, the station reported.
Major cities across the country have been dealing with an influx of border crossers for more than a year.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott has consistently boasted about the more than 100,000 immigrants bused to so-called sanctuary cities since August 2022.
New York City is bearing the brunt of the newcomers, with Mayor Eric Adams calling the situation facing Gotham a “crisis.” He also encouraged migrants to find other parts of the country to stay as the city’s resources are scarce.
Near the end of his speech, Carrera, the Denver official, asked how many immigrants wanted to leave for another city, but few expressed interest, 9News reported.
But when asked who he wanted to stay in Denver, the immigrant reportedly answered “todos,” meaning everyone.
An email sent to the Denver mayor’s office about the video was not immediately returned Sunday night.
