DENVER — Even though migrant arrival numbers are still high, with 108 people arriving in Denver Friday according to the city’s dashboard, city officials will no longer use the Comfort Inn on E. 58th Ave. in North Denver as migrant shelter starting next Monday.
At the height of the migrant surge, the city utilized six hotel shelters.
Come next Monday, there will be four, after this shut down.
A city spokesperson said around 30 migrants will be moved to the four other hotel shelters. Although, the city could bring this hotel option back online if there is another unprecedented surge.
Denver7 met one Venezuelan woman staying in the Comfort Inn. She described her three-month journey, as one of the 2,000 migrants now living in Denver.
“We’re getting by day-by-day, searching, getting used to life here, because it’s very difficult as well, the English language, the city, the cold, but we’ll get there,” she said in Spanish.
This week, Denver’s Mayor Mike Johnston led a group of Mayors who met with the White House to request financial help for the migrant crisis.
“Part of the conversation was about the presidential supplemental funding request which also includes support for the communities and to continue our work to accelerate the process of the work permits,” said Karine Jean-Pierre, White House Press Secretary.
Amanda Blaurock, Executive Director of the Village Exchange in Aurora said funding is tight for her non-profit that provides services for hundreds of migrant families each week.
With limits to the length of time people can stay in shelters, Blaurock is working to support legislation to speed up migrant's ability to legally work in the U.S.
“Because 14 days as an individual and you're out, or 37 days as a family... Well, what's next? That doesn't change your legal status, you're still not having a job,” explained Blaurock.
After the Comfort Inn’s closure as a migrant shelter, the woman Denver7 spoke with said she plans to stay at another hotel nearby for a week with money she saved, and from there, navigate her new life day-by-day.
“We can’t lose hope. We knew it wasn’t going to be easy, but it’s not impossible,” she said, in Spanish.
