Denver, CO
Trump administration rescinds $24M in federal grants for Denver's migrant shelters
DENVER — The Trump administration has rescinded $24 million in federal grants promised to the City of Denver, following through on a threat to withhold funding over the city’s sheltering of newly arrived immigrants.
Denver7 first reported on the threat in March. During a Department of Finance presentation to the Denver City Council on Monday, it was publicly confirmed that the city will not be reimbursed millions of dollars.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) terminated three Shelter and Services Program grants, which totaled roughly $32 million. During Monday’s meeting, Budget Director Justin Sykes said only about $7 million to $8 million has been received, meaning the remaining amount of roughly $24 million will not be reimbursed to the city.
It’s one of the largest grants the city has been monitoring, according to Sykes.
In a letter dated April 1, a FEMA official wrote, “The Department, consistent with President Trump’s direction, is focused on advancing the essential mission of enforcing immigration laws and securing the border.” As a result, “grant programs that support, or have the potential to support, illegal immigration through funding illegal activities or support for illegal aliens that is not consistent with DHS’s enforcement do not effectuate the agency’s current priorities.”
- Read the full letter from FEMA below
Sykes said the city typically uses $100 million to $200 million worth of grants each year, with a “vast majority” being federal grants.
“The city does not have the capacity, if all of that federal funding were to go away, to backfill it. And so, that is another risk that we are carefully monitoring and very concerned about,” Sykes told the councilmembers. “There have been several grant terminations. The federal government will have to pass a new budget for its fiscal year that would start in October, and so, we don’t have a lot of answers. That’s something we’re concerned about and continuing to monitor.”
Since late 2022, Denver has served 42,911 newcomers.
The conversation with Denver City Council came on the same day as a new executive order from President Donald Trump that asks Attorney General Pam Bondi and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem to compile a list of states and local jurisdictions that “obstruct federal immigration laws.” The order calls such locations “sanctuary jurisdictions,” and the goal is to bring them “into compliance” with the federal government when it comes to immigration.
As part of the order, federal funds like grants and contracts that are given to sanctuary jurisdictions can be identified for suspension or termination.
Four Democratic mayors, including Denver Mayor Mike Johnston, were called to testify before Congress in March about their so-called “sanctuary cities.”
Denver has never officially called itself a sanctuary city. It was given that title under President Trump’s first administration.
In 2017, the first Trump administration asked for “sanctuary cities,” including Denver, to help U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and its crackdown on immigration. In response, then-Mayor Michael Hancock signed an executive order that created a legal defense fund for people threatened with or in removal proceedings and ordered the Denver Sheriff Department, which operates the city’s jail, not to seek federal funding that required the department to gather and release information about a person’s immigration or citizenship status.
In response to the executive order, a spokesperson for Colorado Governor Jared Polis said, “Colorado is not a sanctuary state, and Governor Polis has been clear that when it comes to criminal investigations or prosecutions, local law enforcement should be working with federal partners, in accordance with state and federal law, to fight crime. Governor Polis continues urging Congress to do their jobs to secure our border and pass comprehensive immigration reform.”
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Denver, CO
Things To Do In And Around Denver This Weekend – 12/17-12/21 – 303 Magazine
Where: Fight Club – 1959 16th St Mall Denver
Cost: Price varies
The Lowdown:
Guests have the option of $39 bottomless flatbreads, which includes the price of their oche reservation for Social Darts®. The bottomless flatbread menu features Smoked Salmon Flatbread, Four Cheese Flatbread, Breakfast Flatbread, or Garden Vegetable Flatbread. Guests can also order off the á la carte menu, which includes a fresh-cut fruit plate, breakfast sliders,, avocado toast, and Flight Club’s famous churros.
Denver, CO
Denver airport delays, crashes, broken windows, downed power lines: What to know about Colorado’s windy Wednesday
Hurricane-force winds in Colorado on Wednesday had a major impact across the Denver metro area, Front Range, and foothills. It’s a First Alert Weather Day because of the dangerous conditions.
Gusts of over 100 mph — equivalent to a category 2 hurricane — were reported in some parts of the Front Range, and over 100,000 people were without power as of 7 p.m. On Berthoud Pass, between Empire and Winter Park, wind gusts reached at least 102 mph. They reached 97 mph at Rocky Flats National Wildlife Refuge in Boulder County, 96 mph in Marshall, and 93 mph in West Arvada.
Several highways were closed, Denver International Airport saw dozens of delays, power lines and other property damage were reported, schools were closed, Denver’s holiday events were canceled, and thousands of homes and businesses were without power after Xcel’s Public Safety Power Shutoff and unplanned outages.
Power shutoff
Xcel Energy was implementing what it calls a Public Safety Shutoff, for only the second time ever in Colorado. An estimated 50,000 people across the Front Range were impacted, mostly in Boulder, Clear Creek, Jefferson, Larimer, and Weld counties.
Restoration for some areas was expected to start around 6 p.m. Wednesday, but many customers told CBS News Colorado that Xcel told them it could be up to three days before their power is restored.
As a result, the Colorado Division of Emergency Management opened charging centers, shelters, and resource centers in the impacted areas.
Xcel said it shut off the power in these areas because of the combination of wind speeds and dry conditions that increase the chance of wildfires.
Once conditions improve, Xcel Energy Colorado President Robert Kenney said crews will begin inspecting lines to determine when power can be restored.
“Once the wind event stops, that does not mean your power will be immediately restored,” he said. “We have several hundred crew members that are already being pre-positioned, that are on standby, so that when the wind event does end, they will be able to immediately begin inspecting the lines. They have to visually inspect the lines for damage before restoring the power.”
Delayed flights
The Federal Aviation Administration called for a ground delay at Denver International Airport from 5 through 8 p.m., although that’s subject to change, based on evolving weather conditions.
As of about 6:30 p.m., 66 flights were delayed, and one was canceled.
Wind gusts were recorded at around 40 mph at the airport around 5 p.m.
School closures
Several school districts — including Jefferson County, Colorado’s second-largest — closed schools, and many also canceled after-school activities.
The University of Colorado cancelled classes, but the Buffs’ basketball game against Portland State is continuing, although fans are not allowed to attend.
Highway closures
Several highways in the foothills near Boulder, as well as in Northern Colorado up to the Wyoming state line, were closed. At least one crash also closed the westbound lanes of Interstate 70 on the Eastern Plains.
Those planned closures included:
- Highway 93 between Boulder and Arvada
- Highway 36 between Boulder and Lyons
- Highway 128 from Superior to Highway 93
- Highway 287 between Ted’s Place and the Wyoming border closed this afternoon, but has since reopened
Damage and other closures
Power lines were reported as having fallen across the Denver metro area, adding to the number of customers without power.
A number of local businesses were also forced to close — some out of caution, others due to a lack of power.
Car and structure windows were also broken by flying debris, like this car in Boulder, whose windows were shattered by small, flying rocks.
Despite losing power around 10 a.m., Ace Hardware in Golden remained open and kept busy, selling generators, flashlights, batteries, and tools and materials to prevent or fix damage.
Some business owners raised concerns about what a days-long outage could mean for their companies, products, and customers.
“We could lose everything,” DeAnn Wieber, owner of the Windy Saddle Cafe in Golden, said. “We could lose all our food, the time that it took to prepare everything, and we just don’t know. And there’s are a lot of businesses going through the same thing.”
Denver, CO
Canceled due to high winds: Wednesday’s drone show, holiday tree, Christkindlmarket
Downtown’s Mile High Drone Show, the Denver Christkindlmarket and access to the Mile High Tree have been canceled for Wednesday, Dec. 17, due to high winds, said producers at Visit Denver.
The city’s tourism arm on Wednesday morning decided to cancel the shows and outdoor holiday market for this evening “due to weather conditions,” as well as cut off access to the 110-foot LED icon known as the Mile High Tree, through which visitors can typically walk and snap selfies.
Denver is forecasted to endure wind gusts of up to 50 mph on Dec. 17, with gusts of up to 75 to 80mph possible in higher elevations. High winds, low humidity and the possibility of wildfire led Xcel Energy to cut power to more than 100,000 Front Range residents by Wednesday morning. Xcel Energy also sponsors the Mile High Tree.
Denver Christkindlmarket is scheduled to run through Dec. 23 at the Auraria Campus.
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