Denver, known for its "sanctuary city" status, announced it will significantly reduce funding to the Police Department and Fire Department to finance illegal immigrants.
The Democratic-governed city explained that it intends to allocate $89.9 million in services for foreigners. This financing will partly come from the reduction of approximately 45 million dollars in existing public programs and services, including an $8.4 million cut to the Police Department's total operating budget, representing approximately 1.9% of its total operating budget. The Denver Fire Department will also see a significant reduction of $2.5 million, equivalent to approximately 0.8% of its total operating costs.
According to Mayor Mike Johnston, this is the best way to continue helping newcomers without making worse budget cuts to city services.
"So many times we were told that we couldn't be compassionate while still being fiscally responsible. Today is proof that our hardest challenges are still solvable, and that together we are the ones who will solve them," the mayor stated.
However, the redistribution of funds will also affect other municipal departments. The Department of Transportation and Infrastructure will see its budget reduced by 3.8%, while the Department of Public Health and Environment will suffer a 1.9% decrease, among other budget adjustments.
Today, we shared a new budget and a more sustainable newcomer program.
Proud of our city for welcoming those most in need. Proud of our city teams who found ways to minimize budget without major impacts.
More on this announcement: https://t.co/ULGYHfPJFn pic.twitter.com/AErsLXhvTr
— Mayor Mike Johnston (@MikeJohnstonCO) April 11, 2024
How the budget will be distributed to immigrants
According to a report from Fox31, Denver plans to distribute the $89.9 million as follows: $51.7 million will go exclusively to shelters and housing for illegal immigrants. Another $9.7 million will be reserved for support services to facilitate the integration of these individuals into the community. Additionally, $6 million will be allocated for transportation, another $9.5 million for one-time capital costs, and $10 million for contingencies. Finally, $3 million is designated to cover program administration costs.
Increase in illegal immigrants in Denver
Colorado's capital has seen a significant increase in its illegal immigrant population, with more than 40,000 undocumented individuals arriving in 2023 alone. This influx has raised the total number of illegal aliens in the city to approximately 710,000 people.
