Denver Cuts City Services to Cover Migrant Expenses

Denver Democrat Mayor Mike Johnston announced on Friday that the city will reduce its services to offset the costs caused by a migrant influx, according to the Washington Examiner.

“This is a plan for shared sacrifice,” Johnston said at a press conference. “This is what good people do in hard situations as you try to manage your way to serve all of your values. We want to continue to be a city that does not have women and children out on the street in tents in 20-degree weather.”

This decision comes as the city, already grappling with a longstanding homeless situation, faces the added measure of supporting over 40,000 illegal migrants who have arrived within the past year, including 4,000 currently under the city’s care.

To address the financial strain, Denver will see reduced hours at several Department of Motor Vehicles offices and a 25% reduction in Parks and Recreation spring programming. Community centers will also decrease their operational days from seven to six.

The adjustments, as Johnston describes, are designed to avoid layoffs among city employees, though hourly and seasonal workers are expected to experience reduced work hours.

Denver has spent $46 million on the migrant issue, with a significant portion directed toward services such as food and housing. Additionally, Denver-7 reported that $5 million had been spent to transport the migrants to other cities, such as New York and Chicago, which are also facing strained budgets due to the migrant situation.

But in light of these developments, Johnston emphasized that the migrant issue should not be attributed to the immigrants themselves but to Congress’ failure to pass the otherwise fraught Senate border bill, which included more money to Ukraine and other countries than the border itself.