The city of Denver, Colorado, faces a crisis with the arrival of thousands of migrants who were sent by bus from the border, in the midst of extreme cold wave that impacts the United States.
According to spokeswoman Leesly León, the city of Denver has spent more than 2 million dollars to serve migrants – most of them Venezuelans – by opening temporary shelters like this one.
“We are seeing two joint crises and trying to prepare ourselves as best as possible,” León said in comments to the press.
The extreme climate caused by the extensive cold wave in a large part of the country caught hundreds of migrants transported by bus from the border off guard, who, in addition to uncertainty about what will happen to their lives, face weather conditions that are not accustomed.
In Photos | Winter storm in the US leaves more than 45 dead and causes chaos
The winter storm that is gripping much of the United States will continue to wreak havoc for days to come, as heavy snowfall prevented emergency vehicles from passing and thousands of travelers were stranded due to flight cancellations or impassable roads.
Alex, a 21-year-old Venezuelan, told the voice of america that in the city “it’s getting very cold, too”.
“I have like three jackets, four shirts,” he explained.
For Alex, coming to Denver has been a shock in every way, especially after his long and difficult journey from South America.
“Travelling I went through the jungle, full days, without eating, without clothes, without being able to shower, without being able to sleep well. Sleeping on the street is very difficult. But the goal today is to be able to work, to be able to improve myself, to be able to progress, ”she assured.
Alex is one of more than 2,300 immigrants moved to Denver since early December. This fact led the mayor of the city to decree a state of emergency after the unexpected arrival of migrants in the midst of extreme weather conditions, in which temperatures of -25 degrees Celsius have been recorded.
Non-profit organizations and volunteers are also helping to collect donations to cover the basic needs of newly arrived migrants.
One of the organizers of the community effort is María Elena Suárez, a Venezuelan who arrived in Denver at the age of 16, who assures that the call for help moved them and exceeded their expectations.
But as in other large cities in the country, the Denver authorities point out that neither the city nor the organizations can cope with the growing flow of migrants and are requesting federal assistance to deal with the situation.
similar situations live migrants who came to the Big Applewho with the illusion of changing their lives, have come across temperatures below zero which according to testimonies is limiting opportunities and some have become ill.
Denver is not an isolated case. During Christmas Eve, three buses in which families of migrants were traveling from Texas they arrived near the house of the vice president of the United States, Kamala Harris.
The action was similar to previous drive-ins organized by the governors of border states to draw attention to the immigration policies of the Joe Biden administration.
The White House has insisted that the borders are not open.
[Con información de AP]
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