In an op-ed published in the Colorado Springs Gazette, Aurora Mayor Mike Coffman accused Denver Mayor Mike Johnston of not being truthful about how migrants, including Venezuelan gang members, ended up in Aurora.

Coffman said he filed an open records request that shows Johnston used the cover of non-profits to quietly dump migrants in other cities.

Johnston denied the allegations, stating,  “The City of Denver never places anyone anywhere.” 

Johnston said he was blindsided by the op-ed that included a headline claiming, “Denver’s Mayor offloads immigrants on Aurora.”

“I’m surprised by this because Mayor Coffman and I have a collaborative relationship,” Johnston said. 

According to Johnston, Denver contracted with two non-profits to find housing for migrants after more than 40 thousand of them were bussed here from Texas last year.

“We give them dollars and they decide on housing,” Johnston said. “Every day it’s looking for where that housing is and identifying what open unit it is. You might go to Thornton, you might go to Northglenn, you might go to Denver.”  

Mayor Coffman said one of the non-profits worked with a landlord to place migrants in three apartment buildings in Aurora, where police say Venezuelan gang members terrorized residents. The incidents there drew the attention of President-elect Donald Trump, who has promised to carry out mass deportations, or what he calls “Project Aurora”. 

Coffman said Johnston has refused to say how many migrants were placed in Aurora, so he filed an open records request to obtain the contract the city signed with the nonprofit. He said the contract included a clause allowing the agency to put migrants in other cities without notifying them.

In his op-ed, Coffman said, “Aurora has suffered from a national embarrassment that has harmed the image of our city in a way that could have lasting economic consequences. As the Mayor of Aurora, I’m asking that Mayor Mike Johnston be transparent and tell the truth about what he did.”

Johnston said he bears no responsibility for what’s happened in Aurora, “We run the City of Denver and he runs Aurora and they control the outcomes in their city. We control the outcomes in ours. We’re responsible to our voters and he’s responsible to his.”  

Coffman said the nonprofit is required to report to city officials how many migrants are placed in other cities, but he says Johnston continues to dodge the question about how many migrants were sent to Aurora.

President-elect Trump takes office Jan. 20th. His Border Czar has said he will prioritize the deportation of migrants who’ve committed crimes.

In November, Johnston told the Denverite he would resist all deportations. He now says he will cooperate with federal immigration agents in deporting violent criminals.

Denver Broncos defensive coordinator Vance Joseph could return to the NFL head-coaching ranks.

ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported Monday the New York Jets have requested permission to interview Joseph for their HC vacancy. It’s uncertain as of this writing whether that permission was granted.

What happens next on the Broncos beat? Don’t miss out on any news and analysis! Take a second, sign up for our free newsletter, and get breaking Broncos news delivered to your inbox daily!

Joseph, 52, is expected to be a hot name in coaching circles after Denver led the league in sacks and placed third in points allowed during the regular season. Under his tutelage, cornerback Patrick Surtain II earned his third Pro Bowl selection while outside linebacker Nik Bonitto, a first-time Pro Bowler, finished third in quarterback takedowns (13.5).

The Broncos’ defense also ranked within the top-10 in several other categories: rushing yards allowed per game (third), red zone percentage (third), total yards allowed per game (seventh), and interceptions forced (ninth).

Joseph was hired by Broncos coach Sean Payton in 2023 after serving four years as the Arizona Cardinals’ DC — and before that, Denver’s HC from 2017-18.

“He’s smart, he’s a great communicator, he’s got a very calm, I would say strong, voice. Man, his players play extremely hard for him. He’s been a great addition to our staff,” Payton told reporters Monday.

“I think Vance is going to be a head coach again.”

Joseph isn’t the only member of the playoff-bound Broncos staff to begin garnering outside attention; NFL Network’s Jane Slater reported that senior personnel executive David Shaw will interview for the New Orleans Saints HC position.

Follow Denver Broncos On SI/Mile High Huddle on Instagram, X, and Facebook and subscribe on YouTube for daily Broncos live-stream podcasts!

Metro Denver residents who suspect they’re spending more time stuck in traffic are correct.

Drivers here over the past year faced the fastest increasing traffic delays in the nation, according to a global transportation data firm’s latest analysis. While Denver ranks 15th among the most congested U.S. cities (New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles top the list), the delays increased by 19% between 2023 and 2024.

Drivers on metro Denver roads during 2024 lost an average of 44 hours to traffic jams, up from 37 hours in 2023, the analysis by the Seattle-based company INRIX found. In New York and Chicago, residents lost an average of 102 hours in traffic. In Los Angeles, they lost 88 hours.

The average speed of a vehicle moving toward downtown Denver decreased by about 7% to 13 miles per hour, said Bob Pishue, senior analyst for INRIX and author of a report released Monday morning.

“That’s a pretty rapid change,” Pishue said.

“A lot of restaurants and retail stores have been waiting for this. They want the traffic. Traffic shows there’s growth and activity. On the other hand, it gives us less time with our friends and family. It gives us frustration. It gives us higher costs to move goods and services around.”

The Denver Regional Council of Governments estimates the metro Denver population will increase by 1 million people within 30 years. City and state transportation planners have been wrestling with how to contain traffic, looking to public transit and densification — by encouraging more housing concentrated around bus and train hubs — so that workers don’t have to drive as much.

The INRIX analysis shows that metro Denver traffic delays were typically worst on westbound Interstate 270, South Colorado Boulevard, Pena Boulevard, and northbound I-225 between the interchanges with I-25 and I-70.

Time lost in traffic lowers money and productivity. INRIX analysts calculated the average Denver driver lost $788 a year. Nationwide, they estimated traffic delays over the past year cost the U.S. economy more than $74 billion.