For more than a year, Denver and Colorado have welcomed more than 38,000 migrants in search of refuge from the turmoil in their homelands in South and Central America.
In the core sense of the word, “refuge” evokes hope, comfort, and safety. This is what Denver, some non-profit charities, and the State of Colorado have provided in the absence of courage to overcome partisan struggles in Congress.
Local municipalities across the country are bearing the brunt of the financial burden, with a significant portion of funds spent from local public coffers. Despite limited resources, Denver and Colorado remain true to our collective values.
Sitting high above the Front Range is a place that serves as a reminder of why serving immigrants arriving in Denver is in line with Colorado values — The Mother Cabrini Shrine. Mother Frances Xavier Cabrini is a name that transcends religion, race, immigration status and country of origin. She is lauded for serving migrants across the globe and revered in Colorado for her service to immigrants, and migrant communities that sought refuge. Today, her memory evokes acts of service to aid and comfort a new group of immigrants arriving at our doorstep.
In great veneration to her service — primarily to Italian immigrants in Colorado — the state legislature recognized her as an icon for humanity and leadership for those in need; in particular, immigrants. In 2022, Denver and Colorado came together to celebrate this notable woman; recognized as a Saint by the Roman Catholic Church. She is a testament to the power of women to lead, as she is to the power for each of us to responsibly serve.
It is no secret that asylum seekers and others who have sought refuge across our city and state need support. Nonprofit organizations, community churches and the City of Denver have stepped up to the challenge. Still, the need is great and as the U.S. Congress contemplates policy changes, we are faced with the same challenges as Mother Cabrini: the urgency to act locally, act swiftly and act with humanity.
We are surrounded by political theater that seeks to leverage every fear and vulnerability Americans have for their own piece of the American dream. Denverites and Coloradoans have seen through this demagoguery in the past and I believe we can do so again as we see the newest effort to demonize migrants.
Most of us can speak to an immigrant experience, either of ourselves or one of our ancestors. They likely did not come to America because they were already wealthy and prosperous in their native country, no, they sought out America because of the promise it extends to the world. That if you work hard, you can be successful.
Mother Cabrini witnessed the plight of Italian immigrants and many of their contemporaries who faced similar anti-immigrant rhetoric. Instead of joining that chorus, she pushed back through service and advocacy, which is exactly what Coloradans should do today.
I urge our federal representatives to fight for a meaningful, just and responsible solution to the challenges in immigration and resettlement support. It is critical that the federal government establish a clear path for asylum seekers who have legally entered the United States to access lifesaving resources to stabilize, work lawfully, and ultimately make their own positive contributions to the communities we share.
And the federal government must support interior communities that have risen to the challenge. Funding availability for programs such as the Shelter Services Program is a key resource to address the ongoing need; however, other resources for resettlement are required as individuals seek to make Colorado their home.
Locally, since 2022, the City of Denver has helped migrants find temporary shelter, clothes, food and housing, but we need partners to join us. We appeal to our neighbors to find ways that their own communities can support the integration of our new neighbors.
Still, it is not lost on me that some communities have brought in their welcome map. I can only hope that they reconsider the human need and look to Coloradans like Mother Cabrini for inspiration. At an individual level, for those who have the financial capacity to offer cash, Rose Community Foundation has established the Newcomers Fund to support community organizations to stabilize and support the integration of our new neighbors.
No matter what one’s views may be on the topic of federal immigration policy, as human beings recognizing human suffering, we can rise above the negative rhetoric that pins political party against political party, religion against religion, race against race, or immigrant against American-born.
Let’s join our neighbors and those who came before us to honor the legacy of Mother Cabrini: a Coloradan who embodies the spirit of our state. She will continue to unify us in our humanity when we serve the immediate humanitarian needs of asylum seekers in Colorado.
Father Christopher Gama O.F.M. Cap. leads a mass in the church located on the campus of the Mother Cabrini Shrine in Golden on Feb. 14, 2024. During the Ash Wednesday mass, Gama invoked Mother Cabrini’s legacy of compassion towards refugees, urging the congregation to emulate her example as the United States faces another influx of immigrants. (Photo by RJ Sangosti/The Denver Post)
John and Carol McEncroe hold hands as they pray during the Ash Wednesday mass at the church located on the campus of the Mother Cabrini Shrine in Golden on Feb. 14, 2024. This year, Ash Wednesday coincided with Valentine’s Day. The couple said that they were married in 1976 at the Mother Cabrini Shrine, where they continue to attend Ash Wednesday mass. (Photo by RJ Sangosti/The Denver Post)
Mario Chavez holds his 6-month-old daughter Amelia during Ash Wednesday mass at the church located on the campus of the Mother Cabrini Shrine in Golden on Feb. 14, 2024. (Photo by RJ Sangosti/The Denver Post)
Carmen Champlin prays in the Grotto on Ash Wednesday after attending mass at the campus of the Mother Cabrini Shrine in Golden on Feb. 14, 2024. (Photo by RJ Sangosti/The Denver Post)
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Jamie Torres has represented District 3 on Denver’s City Council since 2019. She was elected Council president in 2022.
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