Mayor Mike Johnston takes migrant plea to the White House

Driving the news: Johnston spoke at an Axios Denver event hours after meeting with White House Chief of Staff Jeff Zients and senior adviser Tom Perez.

• Johnston said he led mayors from cities including Chicago, Los Angeles and Houston to urge the federal government to help local officials manage migrants arriving in their cities.
• The mayors are seeking money along with help speeding up work authorizations and processing cases for people arriving at the border.

What they're saying: "The biggest challenge is a federal government standing in between saying, 'You folks can't work for the people who want to hire you,'" Johnston said Thursday.

Catch up quick: Roughly 2,000 migrants are currently sheltered in the city, a fraction of the more 26,000 people who have received help since they began arriving in large numbers last December.

• The city has seen a spike in arrivals since the governor of Texas started busing them to Denver.

• The city allows families to stay up to 37 days at shelters, while Johnston said single men can stay up to 14 days.

Of note: The city is working to find contractors to manage shelters, feed and provide resources for migrants.

What we're watching: Johnston says his administration has not discussed the potential for migrants arriving in Denver fleeing the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza.