The Trump administration plans to move the Small Business Administration’s regional office out of Denver in the coming months.
“The SBA will relocate six of its regional offices currently in municipalities that do not comply with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement,” SBA Administrator Kelly Loeffler said Thursday in a statement.
She continued: “Offices will be moved to less costly, more accessible locations that better serve the small business community and comply with federal immigration law.”
The SBA is a federal agency that provides loans and other aid to small businesses across the U.S. The agency’s disaster loans help companies rebuild after events like fires and hurricanes.
In addition to Denver, the SBA plans to pull regional offices from Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, New York City and Seattle, according to the statement.
The mayors of four of those cities, including Denver, testified about "sanctuary" policies in Washington on Wednesday, with some Republican lawmakers saying they should be criminally investigated.
Mayor Mike Johnston’s office didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment. Denver’s regional SBA office is the only one in the state. It is in the U.S. Custom House at 19th and Stout streets in downtown.
The administration hasn’t said where the Denver regional office could move. Rep. Jeff Crank, the recently elected Republican, recently sent a letter proposing Colorado Springs as a new location.
It’s unclear how many people work in the Denver office. City officials said they still expected SBA to maintain a local presence.
SBA offices provide help for small businesses, nonprofits and others in getting grants, counseling, federal contracting certifications and with disaster recovery.
Denverite editor Andrew Kenney contributed to this article.
