Aurora demands a stop to busing of migrants

Opponents say resolution spreads negative rhetoric

Aurora’s city government wants to make clear that it has no plans to take in or provide services for an influx of migrants coming into the city from other municipalities, according to a resolution passed by the City Council.

The resolution, which also included people who are homeless getting transported to

Aurora from other cities, passed on a 7-3 vote Monday night, despite most public commenters on the issue urging council members to reject it.

“The City Council affirms remaining a Non-sanctuary City and asserts the City does not currently have the financial capacity to fund new services related to this crisis and demands that other municipalities and entities do not systematically transport migrants or people experiencing homelessness to the City,” the resolution states.

The resolution also included a call to the federal government to “secure our nation’s borders.”

Denver began seeing droves of migrants, mostly from Venezuela, coming to the city starting in December 2022, and has since served nearly 39,000 people. But because the federal government has not provided enough resources or funding to help with the city’s response,

Denver Mayor Mike Johnston announced city budget cuts to offset spending.

Councilwoman Danielle Jurinsky, one of the Aurora resolution’s sponsors, said she considers it inhumane to bus migrants from other cities to Aurora, particularly as some migrants don’t seem to know where they’re being dropped off, and that Aurora doesn’t have the funding to support such an influx.

“I don’t know if the Denver residents are OK with their rec centers being scaled back and