National Security
Should Blue Cities Be Held Accountable When Migrants Wreak Havoc on Surrounding Communities?
Should Blue Cities Be Held Accountable When Migrants Wreak Havoc on Surrounding Communities?
Here’s The Scoop
The town council of Castle Rock, located just outside of Denver, has unanimously decided to explore legal action against the city for its decision to welcome over 42,000 immigrants since December 2022.
Castle Rock Town Councilmember Max Brooks introduced a motion during a September 3 meeting that directs the town’s attorney to investigate legal options against Denver due to the influx of migrants that have entered the city and spread into surrounding suburbs. Brooks indicated that other municipalities are considering joining Castle Rock in challenging Denver’s immigration policies.
“This isn’t just a decision that Denver gets to make because it’s impacting the rest of the Front Range. So the idea is to join with other municipalities and say it’s time to stop,” Brooks told CBS News Colorado. “Our town attorney’s office has already had conversations with the county attorney from Douglas County, and also with officials from Aurora and Parker.”
Officials from Denver’s neighboring areas have raised concerns about migrants, including dangerous gang members, spreading out from the city. In Aurora, officials have reported that members of Tren de Aragua, a Venezuelan-based gang, are causing significant disruptions in local communities.
“We currently have entire complexes under gang control — complexes where staff have been beaten up, they’ve been threatened, their families have been threatened [and] complexes where there are no staff left on the property,” Aurora City Council Member Danielle Jurinsky said last month. “These complexes are being run by this Tren de Aragua gang.”
“They start brokering apartments themselves when someone leaves out of fear or whatever. They go in and take pictures of the apartment themselves. Then, I’ve been told, within hours, a Venezuelan family moves in,” Jurinsky added.
Denver has been offering immigrants a range of benefits, including six months of paid housing and a bus ticket to other parts of the state or country. The city plans to spend an estimated $90 million on services for newly arrived migrants who claim to be seeking asylum in the United States.
Castle Rock’s move towards legal action is aimed at changing Denver’s approach to immigration, not at seeking financial compensation, according to Brooks.
“I don’t want a dime from Denver, I just don’t want them to continue to have a policy that is having a negative impact on the Front Range,” Brooks said.
“You don’t wait until the hurricane is on you to board up your windows and leave town. We understand that there is a storm coming,” he added.
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