Denver is taking significant steps to address the immigrant encampment outside Elitch Gardens Theme & Water Park, where approximately 50 immigrants have set up tents. The city plans to sweep the encampment and offer housing at a temporary shelter on Zuni Street to all individuals residing there. This move comes amidst fiscal strain in Denver, which has been receiving a significant influx of immigrants, mainly from South and Central America, who have crossed the U.S. border illegally.
Key Points:
- Immigrant Encampment: The encampment outside Elitch Gardens has grown to become one of the largest immigrant encampments in Denver, with immigrants like Juan Carlos, who traveled from Peru, finding themselves living in various encampments due to the lack of stable housing options.
- City Response: Denver, known for its “sanctuary city” status, aims to provide support to these individuals by offering congregate shelter, assistance in finding housing and work, and facilitating travel to destinations where they may have family or better access to affordable housing and job opportunities.
- Challenges Faced: Many immigrants arriving in Denver are homeless and lack work authorization, leaving them in temporary stay shelters or living on the streets or in encampments, which eventually get swept by the city.
- Preference for Encampments: Some migrants prefer living in encampments over city-funded shelters due to concerns about limited meal services, restrictions on outside food, and the autonomy provided by the encampments.
- Autonomy and Support: While encampments are not ideal, they offer autonomy for migrants who engage in odd jobs to buy food and store it at the encampment, highlighting the challenges faced by these individuals in accessing basic necessities.
History of immigrant encampments in Denver
The history of immigrant encampments in Denver dates back to significant changes in immigration patterns starting in the 1920s. Movements of people due to World War II, Japanese internment, changing agricultural landscapes, the Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s–60s, and Denver’s urban renewal campaign starting in the 1960s contributed to a revolution in Denver’s diversity and group dynamics. Denver’s ethnic diversity grew with new immigrants from Latin America, Africa, and Asia, while existing residents built up communities and fought to assert their rights. Wealthier immigrants from the eastern United States and Europe typically experienced higher acceptance rates, while working-class immigrants, especially from Latin America, Africa, and Asia, often faced discrimination in jobs and housing, even after civil rights legislation made it illegal.
The 1920s marked a shift away from Denver’s early immigration patterns, with the city becoming home to residents from diverse religious, ethnic, and cultural backgrounds, including English, German, Irish, Swedish, Italian, Polish, Chinese, Japanese, Greek, and Russian immigrants. The city also faced challenges related to nativism, reflected in the revival of the Ku Klux Klan, which gained influence in Denver and attempted to force out Blacks, Jews, and Catholics. Latino servicemen moving their families to Denver after World War II marked a significant demographic shift, with Latinos becoming the most populous immigrant group in Denver during the twentieth century. The growth of the sugar beet industry in Colorado attracted American Indian and Mexican laborers, who became a preferred labor group due to accepting lower wages than whites. This historical context sheds light on the evolution of immigrant communities and encampments in Denver over the years.
Government’s role in providing support to immigrant encampments in Denver
The government plays a crucial role in providing support to immigrant encampments in Denver by offering temporary shelter, assistance in finding housing and work, and facilitating travel to destinations where immigrants may have family or better access to affordable housing and job opportunities. Denver’s response to the immigrant encampments includes sweeping the encampments and offering housing at temporary shelters, such as the one on Zuni Street. The city, under fiscal strain, has taken on the responsibility of temporarily housing, feeding, and transporting arriving immigrants, which has incurred significant costs, with hotels and lodging accounting for a large portion of the spending on the crisis. Despite receiving some state and federal grants, Denver taxpayers are primarily shouldering the financial burden.
The government’s involvement extends to outreach efforts, such as providing English language education and community engagement to ensure the well-being and integration of immigrants in the city. Denver’s approach reflects a commitment to addressing the needs of vulnerable populations and providing pathways to stability and support for all residents, including immigrants facing housing insecurity and immigration challenges. Additionally, the government’s response involves seeking federal assistance to manage the massive influx of migrants and secure additional funding to provide housing and support services for immigrants in need.