Douglas County Enacts Emergency Measures Against Unplanned Immigrant Transport Stops
Bus firms transporting illegal immigrants from Denver that make unplanned stops in Douglas County, Colorado, may risk significant penalties or have their vehicles seized, according to a new emergency prohibition enacted Tuesday.
The resolution, approved in about 30 minutes by Douglas County commissioners, comes as Denver, a self-proclaimed sanctuary city, has been pushed thin in terms of resources to support the flood of 40,000 people who have arrived in the city in the last 15 months without basic necessities such as food, water, and shelter.
Denver initially welcomed the newcomers with open arms, but has since admitted that caring for them has resulted in a $120 million budget deficit, stretched city resources, and tested the generosity of businesses and residents, some of whom have been asked to open their homes to strangers to help offset the costs.
City officials recently informed residents residing in a shelter that their opportunities in Denver had dried up, and the city offered to pay for 20,000 one-way bus tickets to someplace else. The offer instantly sparked anxiety in nearby suburbs, cities, and villages with significantly fewer resources than Denver.
“We have a lot of concerned residents here on this,” Douglas County Commissioner George Teal remarked. “It has reached a boiling point.”
Late last year, Douglas County commissioners passed a resolution stating that the county would not provide a “sheltering solution” to Denver’s challenges.
Already, Aurora and El Paso counties have warned Denver not to send illegal immigrants their way. In Lakewood, a suburb about 15 minutes from Denver, the mere prospect of hundreds of people gathering at an office park near the Colorado Mills shopping area in February to vent is enough to cause a stir.
“We do not want to be Denver,” declared former Councilwoman Mary Janssen during the event. I live in Lakewood. “When did we decide to give up our immigration laws?”
Tuesday’s meeting in Douglas County was a precautionary measure. No buses carrying illegal immigrants have stopped there, and officials intend to keep it that way. Any bus found trying to dump passengers at unscheduled stops will be fined $1,000 per passenger. In rare situations, sheriffs may seize custody of the bus as a “public nuisance.”
“We want to be very proactive and make sure that these bus companies don’t think we’ll just bring them to Douglas County because we have no shelters in Douglas County,” Douglas County Commissioner Lora Thomas said, adding that “no funds” exist to provide housing or medical treatment.