# Denver and Colorado (Somali community)

> Somalis in Denver, Aurora, Greeley and Fort Morgan, Colorado: Census counts, refugee arrivals, Somali Bantu farmers, meat-plant cases and 2025 pressures.

Source page: https://calankii.com/en/diaspora/denver/
Last checked: 2026-11-12
Publisher: Calankii (https://calankii.com)

The US Census Bureau's 2020–2024 survey counted 3,467 Somali people in Colorado, most of them in Aurora and Denver ([US Census Bureau, ACS 2020–2024, B02025, via Census Reporter](https://api.censusreporter.org/1.0/data/show/acs2024_5yr?table_ids=B02025&geo_ids=04000US08,16000US0804000,16000US0820000,31000US19740,05000US08005,05000US08001,16000US0832155)). Meat plants also drew Somali workers to Greeley and Fort Morgan from the mid-2000s ([Weld County, County 150](https://history.weld.gov/County-150/Your-Stories/East-African-Community); [The Gazette, March 2016](https://gazette.com/2016/03/19/assimilation-is-a-long-process-for-somalis-in-colorado-farm-town-08c9ca3d-216c-559e-abc6-88513d9930e2/)).

## How many Somalis live in Denver and Colorado?

The American Community Survey (ACS) for 2020–2024 counted these people of Somali race or origin, each with a wide margin of error ([ACS 2020–2024, B02025](https://api.censusreporter.org/1.0/data/show/acs2024_5yr?table_ids=B02025&geo_ids=04000US08,16000US0804000,16000US0820000,31000US19740,05000US08005,05000US08001,16000US0832155)):

- Colorado: 3,467 (plus or minus 1,172)
- Aurora: 1,676
- Denver: 823
- Arapahoe County: 1,116; Adams County: 753
- Greeley: 503

The Denver–Aurora metro area had 2,585 people of Somali ancestry and 1,058 born in Somalia ([ACS 2020–2024, B04006](https://api.censusreporter.org/1.0/data/show/acs2024_5yr?table_ids=B04006&geo_ids=31000US19740); [ACS 2020–2024, B05006](https://api.censusreporter.org/1.0/data/show/acs2024_5yr?table_ids=B05006&geo_ids=31000US19740)). Small samples mean these figures can move a lot between surveys.

Local estimates differ. In Fort Morgan, about 1,200 Somali immigrants made up roughly one in ten residents in 2016 ([The Gazette, 2016](https://gazette.com/2016/03/19/assimilation-is-a-long-process-for-somalis-in-colorado-farm-town-08c9ca3d-216c-559e-abc6-88513d9930e2/)). A former US ambassador estimated about 540 Somali Bantu in Denver in 2014 ([David Shinn blog, February 2014](https://davidshinn.blogspot.com/2014/02/somali-communities-in-colorado.html?m=1)). A 2025 Sentinel Colorado column said "several thousand" Somalis live in or near Aurora, without a source ([Sentinel Colorado, December 2025](https://sentinelcolorado.com/?p=904527)).

## How did Somalis come to Colorado?

In 1998, leaders of Denver's Somali community formed the Somali American Community Center ([Chinook Fund](https://chinookfund.org/grantee/somali-american-community-center-6500/)). More than 9,500 African refugees and asylum seekers settled in Colorado in federal fiscal years 1980 to 2014 ([The Gazette, 2016](https://gazette.com/2016/03/19/assimilation-is-a-long-process-for-somalis-in-colorado-farm-town-08c9ca3d-216c-559e-abc6-88513d9930e2/)).

Somali Bantu families were arriving in Denver by early 2005 ([Denver Public Library, April 2024](https://history.denverlibrary.org/gallery/somalis-colorado)). The library's photo archive shows them at job and English classes in March 2005, and at the African Community Center ([Denver Public Library](https://history.denverlibrary.org/gallery/somalis-colorado)).

Meat plants pulled others north and east. After a December 2006 immigration raid detained about 270 Hispanic workers at the Greeley beef plant, many Somalis took jobs there ([Associated Press via GV Wire, June 2021](https://gvwire.com/2021/06/09/meatpacker-settles-muslim-discrimination-lawsuit-for-5-5-million)). Weld County's history office says more than 1,000 Somali refugees came to the county in 2006 ([Weld County, County 150](https://history.weld.gov/County-150/Your-Stories/East-African-Community)).

In Fort Morgan, the first small Somali group arrived in 2005, mainly for jobs at the Cargill plant ([David Shinn blog, 2014](https://davidshinn.blogspot.com/2014/02/somali-communities-in-colorado.html?m=1)). In federal fiscal year 2025, Colorado received 47 Somali refugees ([US Refugee Processing Center, FY2025](https://www.rpc.state.gov/documents/FY%202025%20Arrivals%20by%20State%20and%20Nationality%20as%20of%2030%20Sep%202025.pdf)).

## Work and business

Many Somali Bantu families had farmed in Somalia. One woman photographed in 2005 had a plot at Denver's Fairview Garden ([Denver Public Library](https://history.denverlibrary.org/gallery/somalis-colorado)). In spring 2013, Somali Bantu farmers planted first crops at a new farm in Denver's Westwood area, helped by a $5,000 Denver Foundation gift ([Confluence Denver, May 2013](https://confluence-denver.com/features/bantufarm_051513.aspx)).

Meatpacking became a major employer. In 2016, about a third of the 2,100 workers at Cargill's Fort Morgan plant were East African ([The Gazette, 2016](https://gazette.com/2016/03/19/assimilation-is-a-long-process-for-somalis-in-colorado-farm-town-08c9ca3d-216c-559e-abc6-88513d9930e2/)). In the Denver area, Somalis drive for ride-share and shuttle firms, work at Denver International Airport and run restaurants and groceries ([Sentinel Colorado, 2025](https://sentinelcolorado.com/?p=904527)).

Mango House on East Colfax Avenue in Aurora has served refugees since 2012, and its food court includes a Somali bakery café ([CBS Colorado, June 2019](https://www.cbsnews.com/colorado/news/aurora-mango-house-refugees-colfax)). Somalis abroad sent home US$3,134 million in 2025, about 24% of Somalia's GDP ([Central Bank of Somalia, Annual Report 2025](https://centralbank.gov.so/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Annual-Report_2025.pdf)).

## What did the federal job cases find?

**Greeley.** In 2010, the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) sued JBS Swift over its Greeley beef plant, case 10-cv-2103 in Denver federal court ([US EEOC, June 2021](https://www.eeoc.gov/newsroom/jbs-swift-pay-55-million-settle-eeoc-race-and-religious-discrimination-claim-greeley-plant)). The EEOC alleged Muslim workers were denied prayer, and water fountains were shut off during Ramadan 2008 ([US EEOC, 2021](https://www.eeoc.gov/newsroom/jbs-swift-pay-55-million-settle-eeoc-race-and-religious-discrimination-claim-greeley-plant)).

In 2021, JBS agreed to pay up to $5.5 million to about 300 workers and to provide clean prayer spaces outside bathrooms ([US EEOC, 2021](https://www.eeoc.gov/newsroom/jbs-swift-pay-55-million-settle-eeoc-race-and-religious-discrimination-claim-greeley-plant)). The company did not admit liability ([AP via GV Wire, 2021](https://gvwire.com/2021/06/09/meatpacker-settles-muslim-discrimination-lawsuit-for-5-5-million)). The EEOC also published the announcement in Somali ([US EEOC, Somali version](https://www.eeoc.gov/newsroom/somali-version-warshada-jbs-swift-waxey-bixin-doontaa-ilaa-55-milyan-si-loo-xaliyo-kiiskii)).

**Fort Morgan.** The Gazette reported in 2016 that about 150 East African workers left the Cargill line over prayer time and were fired ([The Gazette, 2016](https://gazette.com/2016/03/19/assimilation-is-a-long-process-for-somalis-in-colorado-farm-town-08c9ca3d-216c-559e-abc6-88513d9930e2/)). In 2018, after finding reasonable cause of harassment and denied prayer breaks, the EEOC announced a $1.5 million settlement ([US EEOC, September 2018](https://www.eeoc.gov/newsroom/cargill-meat-resolves-eeoc-discrimination-class-finding)). Cargill did not accept the findings ([US EEOC, 2018](https://www.eeoc.gov/newsroom/cargill-meat-resolves-eeoc-discrimination-class-finding)).

## Who speaks for the community?

- **Somali American Community Center of Colorado**, formed in 1998, offers job help, education and cultural events across metro Denver ([Chinook Fund](https://chinookfund.org/grantee/somali-american-community-center-6500/)).
- **East African Community of Colorado**, formed by Somali elders in Greeley in 2008, began English classes in January 2009 ([Weld County, County 150](https://history.weld.gov/County-150/Your-Stories/East-African-Community)).
- **African Community Center of Denver** helped resettle Somali Bantu families in the 2000s ([Denver Public Library](https://history.denverlibrary.org/gallery/somalis-colorado)).

In December 2025, Aurora Mayor Mike Coffman said the city would stand behind its Somali residents ([Sentinel Colorado, 2025](https://sentinelcolorado.com/?p=904527)). State Representative Naquetta Ricks of Aurora, who heads the Colorado African Chamber of Commerce, called the national rhetoric dangerous ([Sentinel Colorado](https://sentinelcolorado.com/?p=904527)).

## What does the community face now?

On 2 December 2025, the US president said at a cabinet meeting that Somalis "contribute nothing" and were not wanted in the country ([Sentinel Colorado, 2025](https://sentinelcolorado.com/?p=904527)). Aurora's mayor and a state lawmaker answered publicly, as above ([Sentinel Colorado](https://sentinelcolorado.com/?p=904527)).

In Fort Morgan in 2016, Somali residents still prayed in two rented rooms because they could not buy land for a mosque ([The Gazette, 2016](https://gazette.com/2016/03/19/assimilation-is-a-long-process-for-somalis-in-colorado-farm-town-08c9ca3d-216c-559e-abc6-88513d9930e2/)). That year, 800 of the county's 6,000 pupils were learning English as a second language ([The Gazette](https://gazette.com/2016/03/19/assimilation-is-a-long-process-for-somalis-in-colorado-farm-town-08c9ca3d-216c-559e-abc6-88513d9930e2/)).

Across the United States, UNHCR counted 1,355 refugees and 3,945 asylum seekers from Somalia at the end of 2024 ([UNHCR Refugee Data Finder](https://api.unhcr.org/population/v1/population/?limit=200&yearFrom=2024&yearTo=2024&coo=SOM&coa_all=true)).

## How is Colorado tied to home?

In 2007, the African Community Center held a Somali Bantu dance at Washington Park to welcome new arrivals ([Denver Public Library](https://history.denverlibrary.org/gallery/somalis-colorado)). Somali Bantu farmers in Denver combine the farming methods they used in Somalia with techniques suited to Colorado's climate ([David Shinn blog, 2014](https://davidshinn.blogspot.com/2014/02/somali-communities-in-colorado.html?m=1)).

## What else has been reported?

- **Greeley walkout, 2008:** on 5 September 2008, about 220 workers at the JBS Swift beef plant in Greeley walked out over prayer breaks during Ramadan, by the company's estimate ([NPR, 1 October 2008](https://www.npr.org/2008/10/01/95254631/fired-muslims-to-sue-over-prayer-break-dispute); [Manufacturing.net, AP, 2008](https://www.manufacturing.net/labor/news/13064399/somali-workers-fight-plant-over-prayer)). Swift said it fired 101; the UFCW Local 7 union put the number closer to 150. The company said the firings were for refusing to return to work, not religion.

## Related pages

- [Other US Somali communities](/en/diaspora/us-other/)
- [United States (Somali diaspora)](/en/diaspora/united-states/)
- [Kansas City](/en/diaspora/kansas-city/)
- [Phoenix](/en/diaspora/phoenix/)
- [Why and how Somalis left](/en/diaspora/why-and-how-somalis-left/)
- [Migration routes](/en/diaspora/migration-routes/)
- [Refugee camps](/en/diaspora/refugee-camps/)
- [Refugee papers and status](/en/diaspora/refugee-papers-and-status/)
- [Life after leaving](/en/diaspora/life-after-leaving/)
- [Somali refugees by the numbers](/en/diaspora/somali-refugees-by-the-numbers/)

## Sources

1. US Census Bureau. American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates, Tables B02025, B04006 and B05006 (Somali), Colorado, Aurora, Denver, Greeley, Arapahoe and Adams counties and Denver metro, via Census Reporter. [censusreporter.org](https://api.censusreporter.org/1.0/data/show/acs2024_5yr?table_ids=B02025&geo_ids=04000US08,16000US0804000,16000US0820000,31000US19740,05000US08005,05000US08001,16000US0832155). Checked 2026-11-12.
2. US Refugee Processing Center. "FY 2025 Arrivals by State and Nationality as of 30 Sep 2025." [rpc.state.gov](https://www.rpc.state.gov/documents/FY%202025%20Arrivals%20by%20State%20and%20Nationality%20as%20of%2030%20Sep%202025.pdf). Checked 2026-11-12.
3. US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. "JBS Swift to pay up to $5.5 million to settle EEOC race and religious discrimination claim at Greeley plant." 9 June 2021 (and Somali version). [eeoc.gov](https://www.eeoc.gov/newsroom/jbs-swift-pay-55-million-settle-eeoc-race-and-religious-discrimination-claim-greeley-plant) · [eeoc.gov (Somali)](https://www.eeoc.gov/newsroom/somali-version-warshada-jbs-swift-waxey-bixin-doontaa-ilaa-55-milyan-si-loo-xaliyo-kiiskii). Checked 2026-11-12.
4. US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. "Cargill Meat resolves EEOC discrimination class finding." 14 September 2018. [eeoc.gov](https://www.eeoc.gov/newsroom/cargill-meat-resolves-eeoc-discrimination-class-finding). Checked 2026-11-12.
5. Weld County. "East African Community" (County 150 history). [weld.gov](https://history.weld.gov/County-150/Your-Stories/East-African-Community). Checked 2026-11-12.
6. Alejandro Hernández, Denver Public Library Special Collections. "Somalis in Colorado" (photo gallery). 23 April 2024. [denverlibrary.org](https://history.denverlibrary.org/gallery/somalis-colorado). Checked 2026-11-12.
7. Chinook Fund. "Somali American Community Center" (grantee profile). [chinookfund.org](https://chinookfund.org/grantee/somali-american-community-center-6500/). Checked 2026-11-12.
8. James Anderson, The Gazette (Colorado Springs). "Assimilation is a long process for Somalis in Colorado farm town." 19 March 2016. [gazette.com](https://gazette.com/2016/03/19/assimilation-is-a-long-process-for-somalis-in-colorado-farm-town-08c9ca3d-216c-559e-abc6-88513d9930e2/). Checked 2026-11-12.
9. David H. Shinn (former US ambassador). "Somali communities in Colorado." 12 February 2014. [blogspot.com](https://davidshinn.blogspot.com/2014/02/somali-communities-in-colorado.html?m=1). Checked 2026-11-12.
10. Associated Press (via GV Wire). "Meatpacker settles Muslim discrimination lawsuit for $5.5 million." 9 June 2021. [gvwire.com](https://gvwire.com/2021/06/09/meatpacker-settles-muslim-discrimination-lawsuit-for-5-5-million). Checked 2026-11-12.
11. Chris Meehan, Confluence Denver. "Bantu urban farm marries Somali tradition with sustainable farming in Denver." 15 May 2013. [confluence-denver.com](https://confluence-denver.com/features/bantufarm_051513.aspx). Checked 2026-11-12.
12. CBS Colorado. "New food court in Aurora gives refugees new beginning." 7 June 2019. [cbsnews.com](https://www.cbsnews.com/colorado/news/aurora-mango-house-refugees-colfax). Checked 2026-11-12.
13. Dave Perry, Sentinel Colorado (opinion). "Aurora worries as Trump crosses a line with racist rant about Somali immigrants." 6 December 2025. [sentinelcolorado.com](https://sentinelcolorado.com/?p=904527). Checked 2026-11-12.
14. Central Bank of Somalia. "Annual Report 2025." August 2026. [centralbank.gov.so](https://centralbank.gov.so/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Annual-Report_2025.pdf). Checked 2026-11-12.
15. UNHCR. Refugee Data Finder API, Somalia as country of origin, 2024. [unhcr.org](https://api.unhcr.org/population/v1/population/?limit=200&yearFrom=2024&yearTo=2024&coo=SOM&coa_all=true). Checked 2026-11-12.
16. NPR. "Fired Muslims to sue over prayer break dispute". 1 Oct 2008. https://www.npr.org/2008/10/01/95254631/fired-muslims-to-sue-over-prayer-break-dispute. Checked 2026-11-12.
17. Associated Press, via Manufacturing.net. "Somali workers fight plant over prayer". Sep 2008. https://www.manufacturing.net/labor/news/13064399/somali-workers-fight-plant-over-prayer. Checked 2026-11-12.

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