Denver invests millions of dollars in new immigrant program while cutting safety budget

Denver introduced a program for illegal immigrants who have come to the city. The Denver Asylum Seekers Program states that people who arrived to the sanctuary city after April 10 will receive short-term accommodation, as well as assistance to secure their travel to another destination where they can connect with existing support networks or available resources.

According to NBC News, which announced the start of the program, the city has budgeted $90 million for its newcomer program this year. In order to find the program, NBC News reported that the city proposed making significant cuts from other important issues such as safety.

"Some have criticized the city’s proposal to cut $8 million from the police department, about 1.9% of its budget, while expanding services for migrants," NBC reported.

The city has spent around $70 million on its response to immigrants since 2022. Between $20 and $25 million has been spent so far this year. Another $52 million has been spent on housing.

Hundreds of immigrants were sent to the city because Governor Greg Abbott began bussing asylum seekers to various sanctuary cities, which are places that have offered to welcome illegal immigrants, such as Denver.

The program explained that "Individuals in the Denver Asylum Seekers Program will be provided with free legal services to file their asylum applications, and while waiting for their work permits, participants will receive rental and food assistance for six months. The Denver Asylum Seekers Program is limited to people within the city’s hotel shelter system or those receiving transitional housing support from certain city nonprofit partners as of April 10, 2024."