Migrants at Elitch Gardens encampment leaving before planned city sweep
DENVER (KDVR) — Migrants who were staying at an encampment near Elitch Gardens began moving off of the sidewalk site on Wednesday.
Their move came a day ahead of a planned sweep on Thursday. One migrant told FOX31 that they had been living at the camp for a couple of months. Juan Chavez has been living at the camp, too.
Some migrants in Denver prefer encampments to shelters for the autonomy
He was among the first arrivals at the camp and said he now tries to help things run as smoothly as possible here. Chavez is hoping to help make this early-planned departure less disruptive.
“I think the more important thing is that we can save our stuff and people can calm down. Sometimes when police come, they (migrants) feel scared. It’s much better to do it this way,” Chavez said.
Sweeps at other encampments have involved crews of workers including police officers for security. City workers are also present, offering guidance on places migrants can find shelter.
A coalition of groups were at the Elitch encampment on Wednesday trying to help.
“It’s a very traumatic situation to have your entire life uprooted. So we are trying to allow them the dignity and the space to pack up their stuff today,” Migrant Care Coalition advocate Kezia Lozano said.
Housing the migrants has cost the city hundreds of millions of dollars, according to the city’s reports. Denver said Monday, March 26, that it was sheltering 777 migrants and has supported 39,968 at a cost of more than $62 million.
Anti-migrant signs attached to parking posts outside Colorado State Capitol
Their arrival has stirred a debate over how much the city should help house them. Advocates continue trying to protect them.
“We just don’t want to add any more trauma to what they’ve already experienced,” Together Denver organizer Amy Beck said.
FOX31 spoke to a 20-year-old mother of two who said she hasn’t thought about where she’ll go if the next shelter doesn’t work out. She and others said they may end up back on the streets of Denver.
“We’ve been offering them congregate shelter for weeks now and so many are simply taking us up on the offer today. Really doesn’t impact anything with it being today instead of tomorrow, but we’re happy that people are accepting shelter,” said a spokesperson for the city of Denver.
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