Utah Gov. accuses Denver mayor of sending immigrants without ‘notification or approval’

Gov. Spencer Cox (R-UT) blasted Colorado’s Mayor of Denver, Mike Johnston (D), for sending immigrants to the state without notice.

“We recently learned that the Democrat mayor of Denver has been sending illegal immigrants to Utah without proper notification or approval. This is completely unacceptable and follows on the failed catch-and-release policy of the Biden administration,” Cox wrote on X. “Every state has received illegal immigrants and Utah’s resources are completely depleted.”

Last year, Michael Bernacke, the director of the Salt Lake City Field Office of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, designated Utah as a sanctuary state. At the time, Senate President J. Stuart Adams (R), then-House Speaker Brad Wilson (R), and Cox refuted the designation.

“All 50 states, including Utah, are now border states due to the failed immigration policies of President Biden and Congress,” Cox went on. “Once again, we call on the Biden administration and Congress to solve this crisis.”

The Washington Examiner reached out to Cox’s office for comment.

A Denver Human Services spokesperson confirmed to the Washington Examiner that some 59 immigrants were sent to Utah in the last 30 days. Additionally, 111 were transported to New York City and 46 others to Chicago. All three locations were chosen by these immigrants. Denver has purchased 2,000 one-way bus tickets to Salt Lake City reserved for immigrants.

“Denver has been incredibly transparent with all of our newcomer operations, including our onward travel efforts,” the spokesperson said. “[W]e remain in close communication with officials to provide notification if larger groups are traveling or in the exceedingly rare occasion that a flight is booked.”

Recently, the Utah officials, including Cox, approved a bulletin to send out to illegal immigrants to discourage them from coming to the state. It warns, in Spanish, “there is no space available in shelters. Food banks and other basic needs services are at capacity. If you do not have a secure and stable connection or family in Utah, consider another state to settle in the US.”

Texas confirmed Thursday that it sent over 19,200 migrants to Denver since last May, due to the city’s sanctuary status. The Denver Human Services spokesperson confirmed that the “vast majority” of the immigrants it is servicing came from Texas.

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Denver is not alone, as the state has transported more to cities like Philadelphia, New York City, Washington, D.C., and Chicago. As a result, Texas reported a 74% decrease in illegal border crossings into its state since it launched its border security operation in 2021.

Earlier this month, Biden issued an asylum ban on all immigrants caught crossing the border. However, this came months after the data showed there over 10 million immigrants had entered the country illegally since Biden took office.