Denver councilmembers tie rise in 'hot spots' crime to illegal immigration surge

A pair of Denver councilmembers on Wednesday implied that the surge in illegal immigration over the past 18 months is linked to an increase in crime in some neighborhoods they represent.

Councilmembers Amanda Sawyer and Stacie Gilmore shared anecdotal stories of crimes occurring in “hot spots” in their respective districts during a committee hearing.

Both law enforcement and city officials, including the Johnston administration, use the phrase "hot spot" to denote an area with a spiking crime rate. The city, for example, earlier designated five areas as "hot spots" — places that, by design, will be getting law enforcement's focus in the administration's campaign to curb gun-related crimes. The specific areas are not necessarily the most violent places in the city, but they had experienced a significant increase in violence over the past year.