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Mayor of Colorado Springs Anticipates Impact of Migration Crisis in His City

IMMIGRANT AND MAYOR| Yemi Mobolade, Mayor of Colorado Springs. (Photo/El Comercio de Colorado)

INTERVIEW WITH YEMI MOBOLADE

Newsroom El Comercio de Colorado

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Yemi Mobolade discusses proactive measures and inclusion amid the arrival of migrants in Colorado’s second-largest city.

We spoke with Yemi Mobolade, Mayor of Colorado Springs, just hours before a press conference held by three commissioners from El Paso County, to which the city belongs. The commissioners told newly arrived migrants to stay away from Colorado Springs because they were not welcome.

This statement from the commissioners was related to the arrival of 11 migrant families at the facilities of the non-profit organization, The Salvation Army, on January 28th. This organization revealed that in the past two months, they have provided shelter to two dozen migrant families. This implies the message to migrants is preventative or dissuasive.

Mobolade discussed various topics with us, including the migration crisis in Denver and the United States. The mayor believes that the city he leads should be proactive and develop an emergency plan in case migrants arrive in the city. While he did not invite the migrants, he finds it inevitable that Colorado Springs will be impacted by the crisis.

He called on the federal government to solve the migration crisis. His approach to migration is more moderate than that of the commissioners he reports to. Mobolade is an immigrant who came to the United States at the age of 17. He pursued undergraduate and graduate studies in this country. He is now the first black and older immigrant elected in Colorado.

Mayor of Colorado Springs Anticipates Impact of Migration Crisis in His City

Are you considering any measures to prevent hate crimes in the city you lead?

Yemi Mobolade: The victims of these acts are real families, real stories, real people. But, I would say that hate crime is not limited to Colorado Springs. We see it almost every weekend with some kind of news report about similar incidents in the country. Regarding what happened at the Q club, we ensure that the victims and survivors continue to be cared for.

I want to address the narrative on the issue. Colorado Springs is also a city that elected its first black and immigrant major in history. We are committed to showing a different path. We aim to demonstrate that we are an inclusive and culturally rich society.

Colorado Spring puede de ser impactada por la crisis migratoria

INTERVIEW | Yemi Mobolade, Mayor of Colorado Springs, speaks with Jesús Sánchez Meleán, editor of El Comercio de Colorado. (Photo/El Comercio de Colorado)

Mayor of Colorado Springs Anticipates Impact of Migration Crisis in His City

What is your stance on the recent arrival of new migrants to Colorado?

YM: Immigration is a federal issue, not a city issue. I want to be clear about my role; my job as mayor focuses on three main areas: keeping our community safe, ensuring the good condition of infrastructure and roads, and caring for our parks. Now, there are many immigrants in this city like me. Many people have come to this city. It is important for them to know that they have a place in my city.

Have you received any requests from the Mayor of Denver to assign migrants here?

YM: I have not received any requests. Neither from Mike Johnston nor from Governor Polis. This is a real problem. If we do not address the problem at the border, our cities will continue to be affected. I hear that the Denver crisis will eventually spill over into neighboring cities. I do not believe that Colorado Springs is exempt from that. So one of the things we are doing is making sure we have a plan as a city in case we start receiving migrants.

If you receive a request from Mayor Johnson today, do you think Colorado Springs will be able to accommodate some migrant buses?

YM: If I were to receive a request from the mayor today, I do not believe that as a city we are ready to address the migration crisis. We have a very limited budget and can barely meet the needs that our own city requires. The second thing is that my priority is the residents who call Colorado Springs home, the residents who are paying taxes so that we can provide those excellent services. The analogy I often use is that we must think of it as a home.