On March 25, Pikes Peak Regional Office of Emergency Management (PPROEM) Executive Director Andrew Notbohm provided the Board of County Commissioners with a Southwest Migrant Informational Update.
The update detailed the current trends of migrants in the region and focused on their impacts on local schools, hospitals and non-governmental organization (NGO) shelters.
Between November 2023 and January 2024, Memorial Hospital Central and Memorial Hospital North, both part of UCHealth, provided care for approximately 1,200 new patients who were identified as likely to be from another country. This represents a 77 percent increase from the same period the previous year.
It’s important to note that UCHealth does not inquire about immigration status. The data includes patients who did not have a Social Security number or who volunteered information indicating they were migrants, were uninsured and were not eligible for Medicaid.
More than 500 immigrant students have been enrolled in El Paso County school districts. (Note: Local school districts provided this information.)
According to the report, nearly 40,000 migrants have arrived in the city and county of Denver since January 2023. Roughly half of them have received transportation out of Denver.
Denver has a process in place to purchase bus tickets to migrants’ desired locations, and has bought hundreds of tickets to places the migrants request. Officials have no way to coordinate in real time with the destinations.
The migrants who leave on their own accord, or receive help from nonprofit organizations, are not tracked after they leave Denver shelters.
More than a year ago, the Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) made a clear statement against illegal immigration, announcing El Paso County’s decision not to be a sanctuary county.
In January, the BOCC became aware of local nonprofits sheltering migrants. The board immediately held a press conference reiterating their stance and urging the federal government to secure the border and enforce our immigration laws.
They also noted that Colorado has several laws that make it a sanctuary state, including laws that hinder the Sheriff’s Office from working with the U.S. Department of Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
The BOCC has engaged in efforts to reverse state sanctuary policies and continues to push for President Biden to take action, demonstrating its unwavering commitment to the safety and well-being of El Paso County residents in the face of the border crisis.
The county commissioners directed PPROEM to continue to monitor the situation and communicate the most up-to-date information to commissioners and the public.
The full Southwest Migrant Informational Update is available at www.elpasoco.com/sw-migrant-update.
ABOUT THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
Cami Bremer (District 5) is the chair and Carrie Geitner (District 2) is the vice chair; remaining members are Holly Williams (District 1), Stan VanderWerf (District 3) and Longinos Gonzalez Jr. (District 4). VanderWerf’s district includes Green Mountain Falls, Manitou Springs, the Westside and downtown Colorado Springs. The commissioners meet at 9 a.m. Tuesdays in Centennial Hall, 200 S. Cascade Ave., Suite 100. Information: bocc.elpasoco.com or 719-520-7276.