Denver City Wire

Mayor Michael B. Hancock’s Office released the following statement on July 6 on the Administration’s decision to not submit a proposed contract for migrant sheltering with GardaWorld Federal Services:

“While we had hoped to conclude negotiations, community engagement and City Council approval prior to the change in administrations, there is much more work to do and therefore we will not be submitting the proposed contract to Council for final action at this time. With more than 500 Central and South American refugees, asylum-seekers and migrants still in our care, we continue to believe that contracting out shelter services is in the best interest of our guests, city taxpayers, and city employees and operations. This contract was intended to alleviate the current staffing pressures on city operations and to provide a more financially feasible strategy to managing the challenge of migrant arrivals, many of whom experienced significant trauma on their journey to the United States. The current financial and operational burden is not sustainable. As the city assesses the most viable and sustainable path forward, Denver will continue to welcome and meet the immediate needs of new arrivals for temporary shelter, food and connections to other resources in partnership with our nonprofit and faith communities.”

Since December, the city has provided shelter and other services to over 12,500 migrants, at a cost currently totaling nearly $20 million.

Original source can be found here