Influx of migrants in Colorado: How the expiration of Title 42 could impact the state

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) -- The El Paso County board of commissioners said it's willing to help migrants who are seeking asylum. However, there are certain stipulations as to who commissioners are willing to help.

In a statement released Wednesday, the board said, "we believe in the rule of law and will work to keep our community safe by not inviting individuals who are not here legally, and whose backgrounds and potential health concerns have not been vetted, into our county."

That announcement comes after more than 600 migrants have arrived in Denver within the last three weeks.

Jill Lis with the Denver Emergency Operation Center said the City of Denver is trying to help reunify families and friends. The city is also working with non-profits and churches in Colorado Springs to help provide extra shelter as freezing temps arrive.

"If they have someone that, a family member that they are trying to connect with and move with then we are doing what we can to support that," said Lis,

Still, Denver officials say the city is at the brink, as emergency shelters run low on supplies.

"For us to be able and continue proving safe shelter for these folks we are going to need other folks to step up and provide space for us. So again, whether that is non-profits partners, churches, other municipalities," said Lis.

Colorado Springs churches and non-profit organizations said they are starting the conversation with the city of Denver to see how they can help.

"In Colorado Springs I think it is the faith community that has been on the calls with Mayor Hancock in Denver to hear his request," said Andy Barton, CEO of Catholic Charities.

"We are doing everything we can to accommodate the folks coming in and anticipate how we can accommodate growing numbers but we defiantly help from other folks," added Lis.

She says even with the expiration of Title 42 in limbo, Denver's main focus right now is to help the migrants already in city shelters. The number of migrants in Colorado currently sits at 662. That number is expected to rise before the end of the week.

Read the full statement from the El Paso County Board of Commission below:

Last week the City of Denver declared an emergency due to extraordinary numbers of rapidly arriving migrants placing a strain on available resources. This occurrence, plus the pending change to Title 42, has caused concern from El Paso County Commissioners that consequences of decisions made by the White House and the City of Denver could overflow into our county boundaries.

El Paso County Commissioners are committed to caring for our residents’ needs, and support legal immigration, however the humanitarian crisis at the border, created by the White House refusing to enforce our laws, is not compassionate. These failures, along with the sanctuary status of our northern neighbor is a false beacon, beckoning to many who wish to seek the blessings of America, causing them to make a dangerous journey, enticing them to break the law, and ultimately resulting in a desperate scramble to keep these individuals from ending up on the streets in the cold. 

El Paso County is dedicated to welcoming those who come to the US legally, and indeed we are extremely sympathetic to those seeking asylum through legal channels from countries such as Venezuela that have been destroyed by communism. We believe in the rule of law and will work to keep our community safe by not inviting individuals who are not here legally, and whose backgrounds and potential health concerns have not been vetted, into our county. We need a secure border, a safe and legal path for immigration, and implore President Biden to focus his efforts on this humanitarian crisis. We would also urge the City of Denver to reconsider it’s status as a sanctuary city for the sake of those who are being lured under false pretenses, and neighboring cities and counties, like ours, whose residents will likely feel the burden as this emergency spills over into our boundaries.

El Paso County Board of County Commission Statement on Border Crisis