Denver's Immigration Costs Skyrocket as Taxpayers Foot the Bill
The recent influx of immigrants to the city of Denver has hit taxpayers hard, with the city now spending over $29 million to house, clothe, feed and care for migrants straight from the southern border.
And according to an independent analysis, that number could rise to almost $40 million by the end of the year. This exorbitant spending has the potential to drain the city's financial resources and force residents to shoulder the burden.
“Do you really think that you're helping these Children by releasing them to labor traffickers. And yes, sex traffickers, 85,000 Children whom you have no contact with,” Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo) “And your answer is we gave them a presentation before we turn them over to these people who are exploiting them on a scale not seen in this country for 100 years, a century, a century.” (Forbes)
Since the beginning of the year, more than 25,000 migrants have arrived in Denver, with approximately 2,500 of them currently residing in shelters. Most of these immigrants are coming from Venezuela, adding further strain to the already overburdened city resources.
The Common Sense Institute, a respected research group, has predicted that Denver will have spent between $36.3 and $39.1 million on support services for immigrants by 2023. They also noted a significant spike in arrivals between September 16 and October 16, with over 18,000 immigrants spending at least one day in official shelters.
The Common Sense Institute, a research group, said Denver would have spent between $36.3 and $39.1 million on support services by the end of 2023. The group noted that the average influx of immigrants saw a spike between Sept. 16 and Oct. 16.
And with the average length of their stay being over 18 days, the group revealed that the city's support services exhibit high fixed costs and low variable costs.
In other words, the city's spending on migrant support services is driven by expensive overhead costs, such as facility rents and staff salaries, rather than the actual number of immigrants arriving. This is further evidenced by the recent decision to modify the length-of-stay policy for immigrant shelters, which has resulted in minimal cost reductions.
Some are quick to blame the latest surge of immigrants on the state of Texas, as Gov. Greg Abbott has been busing immigrants out of his state and into others with "self-declared sanctuary cities," including Colorado. This comes after Abbott sent immigrants to Vice President Kamala Harris' D.C. residence and to Martha's Vineyard, making international headlines.
But the fact of the matter is, this crisis at the U.S. border has been unfolding for years and has now spilled over into cities like Denver, which is over 600 miles from the nearest border. It's a problem that can no longer be ignored, and local governments are feeling the financial impact.
Since May 18, Texas has bused more than 3,200 immigrants to Denver, according to the Abbott administration. And since employing his busing strategy, Abbott has bused out of Texas more than 50,000 immigrants.
Both Democratic and Republican-led states have traded jabs at each other for busing immigrants across state lines, with cities like New York City and Chicago criticizing Gov. Polis for sending immigrants to their cities earlier this year. This practice has also resulted in significant costs for Denver, with the city providing 1,900 bus tickets for immigrants to travel to over 100 cities across the U.S.
The Common Sense Institute warns that the cost of immigration to Denver, which could reach nearly $40 million by the end of the year, is almost as much as the city's Homelessness Resolution Fund. And they place the blame on the volatile federal policy and the lack of comprehensive immigration reform.
READ MORE:
BIDEN ADMINISTRATION FAILS TO SECURE THE SOUTHERN BORDER AS RECORD NUMBERS OF MIGRANTS FLOOD IN
BORDER CRISIS CONTINUES AS DENVER RECEIVES 3,200 MIGRANT BUSES THIS YEAR
DENVER ON TRACK TO SPEND ALMOST $40 MILLION ON INFLUX OF IMMIGRANTS, ANALYSIS SAYS
Denver's residents are now faced with the harsh reality of footing the bill for this crisis, as their tax dollars are being used to cover the costs incurred by the city's government. This financial burden will eventually lead to either sacrifices in needed areas or an increase in ongoing costs, which will ultimately fall on the shoulders of Denverites.
It's time for the federal government to take action and address this pressing issue before it continues to strain local resources and burden hard-working taxpayers. The cost of inaction is simply too high for cities like Denver to bear.