Denver mantém verba para defesa jurídica de imigrantes no orçamento de 2026, apesar do rombo de US$ 200 milhões

Even with a $200 million shortfall in its accounts, the city of Denver decided to put more money into legal defense for immigrants. The city's 2026 budget, finalized in November, added $125,000 to the Denver Immigrant Legal Services Fund — the fund that pays lawyers for low-income residents in immigration proceedings. With this increase, the city's contribution to the fund in 2026 reached $750,000.

The increase stemmed from a request by the City Council to Mayor Mike Johnston during budget processing. Council members cited federal budget cuts and over 100,000 pending immigration cases in Colorado to justify the transfer, arguing that the money is essential to maintain the legal framework and access to representation. Johnston incorporated the amount into his revised proposal, using $4 million in interest from the American Rescue Plan Act to fund this and other additions.

The decision is weighty because it came in a year of financial hardship. To close the $200 million deficit, the city laid off 169 employees, eliminated more than 600 open positions, and imposed unpaid furlough on some staff. Johnston described the cuts as being made "to the bone." The final overall budget was $1.66 billion, about $64 million less than the 2025 spending—which had already been cut earlier that year. Maintaining funding for immigrant legal defense in this scenario was a deliberate choice.

What is the fund and who can use it?

The Denver Immigrant Legal Services Fund was created in 2017 by executive order of then-Mayor Michael Hancock and is administered by The Denver Foundation. It distributes money to nonprofit organizations (501(c)(3)) that provide direct legal representation to low-income Denver residents threatened with deportation. Since 2018, according to the foundation, these groups have received more than $1.5 million from the fund and have served hundreds of immigrants.

For low-income Brazilians in Denver, the criteria for receiving free assistance apply. According to the funding cycle rules, residents must prove residency in Denver (verified presence for at least 60 days), have a family income of up to 200% of the federal poverty guidelines, and be in the process of removal, detained by immigration authorities, or seeking immigration benefits with a viable application. The assistance is not provided directly by the city: the city funds it, the foundation distributes it, and NGOs deliver the service.

The detail matters because, in immigration matters, having or not having a lawyer changes the outcome. About two-thirds of immigrants in Colorado immigration court proceedings remain unrepresented, and those with lawyers are more than ten times more likely to win their case, according to data collected by the Rocky Mountain Immigrant Advocacy Network (RMIAN), one of the organizations linked to the support network. A private immigration lawyer typically charges more than US$10,000 per case—out of reach for a large part of the community.

Where else is there money: the Newcomers Fund

The city's funding isn't alone. The Newcomers Fund, created in December 2022 and administered by the Rose Community Foundation, has already raised and distributed approximately US$5 million to 60 organizations throughout Colorado, from over 5,000 donations from individuals, foundations, and businesses. Current priorities for the fund include immigration legal services, "know your rights" training, and family preparation programs.

The committee that runs the Newcomers Fund includes representatives from the city and county of Denver, the state of Colorado, The Denver Foundation, the Latino Community Foundation of Colorado, and Mile High United Way. Resources primarily reach the Denver metropolitan area, but also communities from Fort Collins to Colorado Springs and from the Yampa Valley to Carbondale.

The politics behind the number

The budget that carries this money did not pass smoothly. On November 10, the Denver City Council symbolically rejected the $1.66 billion spending plan in a 6-6 tie vote. However, according to the city's charter, the budget needed to be in effect by November 12, so the proposal—already amended—began to govern the accounts even without formal approval. Johnston chose not to veto and accepted the Council's ten amendments, including the one that strengthened the legal defense of immigrants.

Some city council members complained about the lack of collaboration and transparency in the process. Those who voted in favor of the budget were Chris Hinds, Kevin Flynn, Diana Romero-Campbell, Jamie Torres, Amanda Sandoval, and Darrell Watson; those who voted against were Flor Alvidrez, Shontel Lewis, Stacie Gilmore, Serena Gonzales-Gutierrez, Paul Kashmann, and Amanda Sawyer. The practical result, however, was a budget that secured funding for immigrant lawyers in a year of heavy cuts.

For those needing guidance, the way forward is to seek out one of the non-profit organizations that receive funding from these funds. NGO applications for The Denver Foundation's funding cycle reopen on August 24, 2026, with a deadline of October 5th—a sign that the free support structure remains in place for the next cycle. Before paying a high price for a private lawyer, it's worth confirming eligibility (income up to 200% of the poverty line and residency in Denver) and seeking assistance through this network.