DENVER — Around 100 Spanish-speaking migrants arrived by bus in Denver Monday night and now the city is working to accommodate them at an undisclosed shelter, according to the City and County of Denver.
The bus dropped the migrants off at Union Station where they then made their way to the Denver Rescue Mission on Lawrence Street, but the shelter was at capacity, a spokesperson for the city told Denver7.
In a news release Tuesday, the city said it had activated an emergency shelter at a city-owned rec center to accommodate up to 100 migrants. The city declined to disclose the location of that shelter citing security concerns.
The city spokesperson said they are working to get more information as to where the bus came from. But right now, their immediate concern is providing the 100 people shelter and resources, she said.
The city is preparing to accept additional migrants from the Denver Rescue Mission through the evening Wednesday. It anticipates the migrants will remain at the shelter for several days.
Mayor Michael Hancock tweeted Wednesday that many of the roughly 100 migrants are asylum-seekers and refugees. Last month, the city welcomed a bus of about 50 migrants from El Paso, Texas. They were seeking asylum and were sheltered at a faith-based facility in west Denver.
Hancock tweeted, "Denver is and always will be a welcoming community, and we will support these individuals and families with the humanity and dignity they deserve while facing such a difficult situation. Our priority is the health and safety of all our residents, including those who are migrants. We will do what we can to provide for their needs at this time, including uniting them w/ friends, family, jobs & transportation to other destinations. We lead w/ compassion & we will never turn away from anyone looking to achieve a better life for themselves or their loved ones."
Jennifer Piper with the advocacy group, American Friends Service Committee, released the following statement regarding Monday's arrival:
“We're so proud that the City of Denver is providing a safe shelter for newcomers to the US tonight. We don't have details right now to share, but hope to be able to report out any support and volunteer needs to the space in the next couple days. We hope the State of Colorado will also step up to pull down Federal dollars that are available to support people. Together we can give folks a dignified welcome, connect them to their loved ones or help them resettle."
This is a developing story