El Paso County and Colorado Springs officials say sanctuary will not be offered to migrants
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) -- Wednesday, El Paso County officials discussed plans in the case of a potential influx of migrants into the area.
El Paso County Commissioners said in a press conference that Colorado Springs and El Paso County will not provide sanctuary of any kind to migrants. Those officials said a bus of dozens of migrants came to Colorado Springs on Sunday and is being helped by an area nonprofit, but the commissioners are now urging all nonprofits to stop providing aid.
During the press conference, the commissioners emphasized the migrant crisis is something El Paso County cannot handle financially.
One Colorado Springs city councilman who attended the press conference said the city already had to dip into reserves in setting the latest budget, and the city can't bear any more expenses.
A big talking point for the commissioners was also compassion. Many of the officials said they sympathize with the difficulties of migrant families, but the federal government has given false hope to migrants that they will find their needs met in the United States by not closing the border.
The commissioners also strongly criticized Denver for making a promise to migrants of sanctuary that they cannot sustain.
"If there was any time that I would be willing to expend any county funds, and this is my personal statement, so I want that to be clear, it would be a bus ticket to a sanctuary city because we are not in a position to take care of these folks," said Carrie Geitner, an El Paso County Commissioner.
The County Commissioners did say they are limited in what they can do legally, but they plan to direct migrants who are unaccompanied minors to the Department of Human Services, and closely monitor any potential outbreak of disease.
Councilman Dave Donelson says the city council plans to pass a resolution on Feb. 13 to stand in solidarity with Texas, for trying to secure the border there. He says the city council will also call on the federal government to take immediate action in closing the border.
The full press conference can be streamed above.
The city also spoke out on the crisis and Mayor Yemi Mobolade released the following statement:
“What’s happening at the southern border is a crisis. What’s happening in Denver is a crisis. Since I took office in June, we have been monitoring this situation and potential impacts to Colorado Springs very closely and planning and preparing for all possible scenarios, as we do for any emergency that could impact our city. I want to be clear that Colorado Springs is not currently in an emergency situation regarding the arrival of migrants. However, we are aware that some migrant families have organically made their way to our city and have sought service at local nonprofit shelters. These arrivals were not coordinated by the City, the County or our nonprofits.
We will not invite this crisis into our city and we are not a sanctuary city. It’s the City’s duty to care for its residents first, and that remains our top priority. While we are called to serve and help those in need, as Mayor I will act as a thoughtful and careful steward of our taxpayer dollars. We must use these limited resources in support of and in service to our own residents first.
Hope, political grandstanding and simply saying ‘do not come here’ are not efficient response strategies. Benjamin Franklin said, ‘If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail.’ We will not fail. We owe it to our residents to be prepared for any type of emergency situation. There are many factors that are not in our control and coordination is key. Our Pikes Peak Regional Office of Emergency Management is actively looking at and planning for different response scenarios should migrants arrive unannounced. PPROEM is reaching out to local nonprofits to understand their resource capacity, and what they are experiencing. Inaction brings consequences, especially since it likely pushes these issues to our public safety and first responders.”
Colorado Springs Mayor Yemi Mobolade
