The cost of supporting these migrants has been estimated at around $68 million, according to the New York Post.
In response to this crisis, Denver Mayor Mike Johnston recently announced the city's new Asylum Seekers Program, which he described as "a long-term, sustainable response." The program will provide six months of free housing, food assistance, and workforce training to approximately 1,000 migrants currently in the city's shelter system as they await work authorization. The New York Post reported that due to federal asylum seeker law, obtaining work authorization can take up to 180 days.
Johnston's office stated that the plan aims to treat "our newcomers with dignity while avoiding the worst cuts to city services." However, to make the program financially viable, Johnston had to make budget cuts in other areas, including his emergency departments.
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Newsweek reported that the Denver Police Department's budget will be reduced by approximately $8.4 million, or 1.9%, under the new program. The city's fire department will also face budget cuts.
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The program stipulates that migrants must leave shelters within 24-72 hours of arrival. They will then be "provided a short-term stay at a congregate site along with assistance securing onward travel to another destination," according to the Post. This is a significant change from the previous policy, which allowed migrants to stay in shelters for between two and six weeks.
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However, the program has been met with criticism. The housing advocacy group Housekeys Action Network Denver (HAND) accused Johnston of taking insufficient action to accommodate the city's migrants. "Every new migrant that comes is going to be left to fend for themselves after 24 to 72 hours," HAND spokesperson V. Reeves told local ABC affiliate KMGH-TV. Reeves described the program as "a slap in the face and an offensive period of time."
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Willy Bastidas, a migrant, echoed these sentiments, telling KMGH that the new rules would exacerbate the city's homelessness problem. "I think that it’s insufficient," he said, adding, "the mayor doesn’t represent us … He needs to listen to us and work with us to a better solution."
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Earlier this year, Johnston estimated that the migrant crisis would cost the city around $180 million. He previously told Fox News that the city was "very close" to a breaking point due to the crisis and announced the city was cutting $5 million from public services while attributing the blame to Republicans and former President Trump.
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As of March 2024, the city has supported more than 38,000 migrants from the southern border at a cost of nearly $58 million, Fox 31 reported. The majority of these migrants are Venezuelans who arrived in the city since 2023, according to the Colorado Sun. Texas has transported thousands of migrants to sanctuary cities like Denver, highlighting the challenges border states face when migrants flood their cities.
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The influx of migrants has also strained the city’s health system, with about 8,000 undocumented immigrants recording about 20,000 visits to Denver Health last year for services such as emergency room treatment, primary care, dental care, and childbirth.
Last month, the city requested local property owners to house some of the "newcomers" as an alternative way to accommodate its undocumented immigrants.
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