Denver’s Overwhelming Migrant Crisis: Draining Resources and Sparking Controversy

Denver has become overwhelmed with more than 41,000 undocumented immigrants arriving in the past two years, resulting in drained resources and community backlash. The newcomers have strained city services such as housing, food assistance, healthcare, education, law enforcement, emergency services, sanitation, social services, transportation infrastructure, public safety, and cultural integration programs. Denver has spent nearly $69 million on its migrant crisis so far, with only a fraction of that amount reimbursed by the state or federal government. The city’s new asylum seeker program will offer housing for 1,000 immigrants over six months while limiting their stay at shelters to between 24-72 hours. This move has sparked criticism from some who believe it is a “slap in the face” due to previous policies that allowed stays of up to 42 days. The city’s Department of Human Services reported an influx of more than 105,000 undocumented immigrants brought by Texas Governor Greg Abbott since December alone. Denver Mayor Mike Johnston has announced a major overhaul in response but is facing opposition from groups such as Housekeys Action Network Denver who have called the new program “a slap in the face.” The city’s healthcare provider, Denver Health, reported that undocumented migrants made 20,000 visits to hospitals last year requiring $10 million in uncompensated care. Chicago and New York are also struggling with their own influxes of immigrants brought by Abbott or local Democrats seeking refugee status after escaping hellish circumstances but not at the cost of Americans legally present on these lands, according to some migrants themselves who have mixed feelings about this situation. The costs for caring for newcomers in Chicago and New York are also rising as education advocates push for $188 million instead of just $35 million requested by Illinois State Board of Education Chief Kimako Patterson due to the surge of undocumented migrants enrolling in schools from 147 different countries over two years. The costs have created a division not only within communities but also among politicians who are seeking additional funding or facing backlash for their handling of this crisis, which is estimated by New York City Mayor Eric Adams to cost the city $10 billion by summer 2025 if current influxes continue and “destroy” it.