Denver, CO. City shuts down migrant camp in freezing temperatures

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On January 19, park rangers and EHS crew members showed up to shut down a critical camp that was providing refuge to nearly a dozen migrants with more expected to join in the next few days (what with migrant hotel shelters resuming their shelter time limits for both individuals and families with children). Many of these individuals were there because they had been turned away from over-capacity shelters and sought community support to survive the dangerous temperatures.

This camp was the byproduct of the closing of the 450-person strong Zuni camp outside of Quality Inn, which is why this camp was called “Zunidos”. The dual meaning of Zuni Dos, and Z-Unidos, or Z-United, represented the way that people came together to support each other, including a kitchen area, two warming tents, and a tarp-encircled bathroom. Caring community members knew to bring resources, including food and survival gear, to the residents and together we made sure that folks were cared for in the freezing temperatures.

This Friday, the city seized the chance to shut down this camp without providing any written notice. They argued that since it was on park property (potentially disputable), despite having been in a remote location away from businesses and residences, they didn’t need to provide notice as they could enforce the camping ban. If that were the case, they would legally have to provide an alternate place to go. They mentioned the names of two extremely overcrowded shelters for the general unhoused population – Denver Rescue Mission’s Lawrence Street Center or Crossroads Men’s Shelter. A city worker at the McNichols migrant shelter had formerly told some of the camp’s residents that Lawrence Street was likely overcapacity, which led to them needing to camp, since the migrant shelter didn’t accept them the day after the original Zuni camp was closed, displacing them.

Furthermore, the non-migrant specific shelters are not safe places for migrants. Not only do they not have access to resources or information for their community’s specific needs, including mechanisms to make sure they can maintain immigration appointments, but it also fosters a sense of scarcity that can create tension between non migrants and migrants. This scarcity does not need to exist!! When we have millions of dollars budgeted for pickleball, we can find the funding to prevent marginalized groups from needing to compete for scraps.

During the sweep today took down everyone’s tents and put all their property in bags – leaving them with no protection from the elements. They moved 50 feet away onto a public right-of-way.

The City jumped on the fact that the No Freezing Sweeps bill was postponed two weeks (supposed to be passed Tuesday of this week) to conduct this sweep in spite of it being between 24 and 30 degrees. This is exactly what we worried would happen if the bill was postponed.

Now these dozen houseless migrants are without anywhere to go, and they are soon to be joined by even more houseless migrants being timed out of the shelters in coming days. It is utterly inhumane and unconstitutional to sweep these people with nowhere for them to go. Last week the Mayor publicly stated that the migrant shelters are full and there is no more room. How can he then sweep migrants trying to survive on the streets when he admits there is no room for them in the shelters?!?

Email the Mayor and demand the Zunidos camp be left alone on public property as a last resort safer space for migrants with nowhere to go!!!

Mike.Johnston@denvergov.org and evan.dreyer@denvergov.org