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Denver seeking short-term shelter assistants as hundreds of migrants continue arriving

An additional 76 migrants arrived in Denver overnight Friday
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Posted at 2:31 PM, Dec 17, 2022
and last updated 2022-12-17 18:46:07-05

DENVER — The City and County of Denver is seeking to hire short-term shelter assistants as hundreds of people from Central and South America continue to arrive in the Mile High City.

The city is paying $25 an hour for qualified applicants to work 24-39 hours a week. The employment term is expected to end March 31, 2023. Bilingual/Spanish skills are needed but not required, the city said. You can apply and get more information here: https://bit.ly/R0052082.

The city said another 76 migrants arrived in Denver overnight Friday. Approximately 872 migrants have arrived in Denver since Dec. 9, according to the city. Emergency shelters operated by Denver and its partnering agencies are currently housing 552 migrants, which is 66% of the current shelter capacity.

On Thursday, Denver Mayor Michael Hancock issued an emergency declaration to prevent what he called a “local humanitarian crisis of unsheltered migrants.” The declaration will give city and county officials more resources and funding without having to go through the normal expenditure process. An estimated $800,000 has been spent by the city so far, Hancock said.

The Central and South American migrants began arriving in the city on Dec. 5. Hundreds more arrived in the days following. The city has scrambled to open emergency shelters to accommodate what the city said are mostly asylum-seeking refugees. Hancock has called on nonprofits, businesses and faith communities to help with additional support.

Other cities are grappling with the surge of migrants. Authorities in El Paso, Texas are reporting a daily influx of roughly 1,600 migrants to local shelters and the streets of the border city.