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Heated public comments at Denver council session center on immigration, housing waits and racial frustration
Summary
Several speakers exchanged sharply different views on immigration and housing: one called for stricter approaches to migrants; others called that stance racist and urged dignified housing and better access to city services.
The City Council's public comment period included multiple, sharply worded remarks about immigration and access to housing and city services.
Brandy Majors told the council she believes it is not acceptable to "harbor criminals" and criticized past border policies and sanctuary-city approaches. "Never in my 46 years of life have I heard that it was okay to harbor criminals or anyone that is considered illegal," Majors said.
Several other speakers rejected that characterization and said migrants and asylum-seekers are not criminals and need housing help. DeCarlos R., speaking online in Spanish, called accusations that migrants are criminals "racist" and asked the council for assistance with dignified housing, saying his family and others fled hardship in Venezuela. "We didn't come here to take anything from anyone... we're here to ask for help with housing," DeCarlos said.
Rosanna Ann, speaking in Spanish, described sleeping in a car with her children, repeated attempts to reach Denver's connection center with no response, and asked the council to prioritize families in need rather than only large symbolic projects. "We just want one opportunity, one chance for our kids to be able to grow up and become something," she said.
A different speaker who said she represented Black Star Action Movement and several community groups criticized the presence of migrants in the council chamber as an insult to historically Black neighborhoods and called for direct cash support and reparations rather than symbolic events. The speaker, who identified herself as Jessica Sean Paris, said honoring Martin Luther King Jr. should include direct financial measures.
The session recorded a sequence of accusations and rebuttals but no council response or votes. Comments included appeals for quicker access to housing services, reports of long waits on the city's connection-center hotline, and demands for policy attention to homelessness and immigration.
Next steps: the council did not respond from the dais during this public comment period; several speakers said they will seek follow-up contact with council offices or city social-services staff.
