Some of the migrants in America are taking bold steps daily. In a recent development, a group of migrants in Denver sent a list of demands to the city’s mayor.

It is no longer shocking news that the United States of America is facing a severe migrant crisis. Several states have complained about this high influx, and their residents are growing increasingly frustrated. In a surprising twist, some migrants are confident they are there to stay as they are even making demands of their city’s mayor.

Over the past couple of years, the number of migrants in Denver, Colorado, has increased significantly. Despite the state providing various shelter programs, hundreds of migrants live on its streets and in other encampments. When the city asked the large group of migrants who had been camping under a bridge to move, they responded with a list of thirteen demands to the mayor, according to KDVR.

The first item on this list of demands to Mayor Mike Johnston is food. The migrants are asking for full freedom to cook their food themselves, with “culturally appropriate ingredients.” These include tomatoes, chicken, flour, rice, and onions. According to the migrants, they do not want to live in a shelter where their meals will be made by the staff of the homes. 

The second item on this list of demands is access to clean facilities. The migrants want access to showers and clean water without time limits on when they can get them. The third item on the list is proper healthcare. They are demanding that the shelters get regular visits by medical professionals, giving regular and exceptional care to those who need it in time. 

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Item four concerns housing. The migrants ask for equal housing opportunities and that shelter officials do not kick out people in thirty days without them having a stable income. Number five is closely related to item four, and the migrants demand that in cases of removal, the authorities have a clear and fair process before removing any resident. 

At number six is the demand for employment support. They are asking for valid work permit applications for those qualified to work. At number seven, the migrants demand free legal counsel from immigration lawyers. This also includes support from legal clinics for anyone who needs legal help and assistance in court.

The demand at number eight of thirteen is privacy for the migrants. This means the authorities would allow the families to always have peace and privacy in the shelters. The ninth is quite similar to the eighth. The migrants are demanding adequate privacy and protection, with reassurance that shelter staff will not abuse them physically or mentally.

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Demand number ten states that the city will be responsible for transporting children in the shelter to and from their schools every day of the week. At eleven, the list states that families should not be separated from each other. The authorities must not separate children from their parents or force other families who do not have children to separate. 

The migrants are demanding a meeting with Denver City Mayor Mike Johnston to discuss further shelter improvements. The thirteenth and final demand on the list asks the shelter to provide every resident with a document signed by a city official stating their approval of this list. This document should be in Spanish and English and include a number to report to in cases of violation. 

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Denver Human Services, the official body for the city’s migrant program, has responded to this list. A spokesman for the agency, Jon Ewing, said that the city is only trying to get the migrants to “come inside” and away from the camp. He also noted that the shelters will have no problem allowing them to cook their own meals.

Ewing continued, saying, “What might be something that is a feasible path for you to succeed that is not staying on the streets of Denver?” He also mentioned that the city was considering the list and trying to figure out something for the migrants. The city simply does not want the families to remain on the streets.

Ewing is optimistic that many migrants will eventually choose to stay in the shelters. Over the past couple of days, people have agreed to move into the shelters. Most of them are also families, including those with and without children. However, it is still unclear if the city of Denver will approve everything on the migrants’ demand list. 

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