Migrants camping along a two-block stretch were loaded into buses and taken to various intake locations around the city, or sent on to more affordable communities in Colorado and beyond. As many as 400 people lived in the encampment; many had been sheltered in the Quality Inn on that corner off Speer Boulevard, then were timed out of housing.
About two hours into the sweep, a fire broke out in a plastic tent just behind the Shell station in front of the encampment. Denver Fire, which was on site, was able to extinguish the blaze quickly.
Handling the flood of immigrants who've come up from south of the border won't be as easy or fast: More than 35,000 migrants have arrived in Denver since December 2022.
Mayor Mike Johnston has joined with mayors of other major cities that have seen an influx of immigrants, asking for more help from the federal government.
Evan Semón captured the scene as the encampment was cleared, then followed many of the migrants to the next stop on their journey.
Children are among the hundreds of migrants who have called the encampment home for weeks.
Evan Semón Photography
