The city of Denver, Colorado, which is under Democratic leadership, has announced its intention to defund its police department in order to allocate funds for services for illegal immigrants. Denver, often referred to as a “sanctuary city,” revealed that it will allocate $89.9 million towards services for incoming illegal migrants. This funding will be partially sourced from approximately $45 million that was previously allocated to public programs and services. The city confirmed that the police department will face an $8.4 million reduction, which accounts for approximately 1.9% of its total operating budget.
Denver has become the leading destination per capita for incoming migrants in 2023, with over 40,000 arrivals in that year alone. This influx has resulted in a total migrant population of approximately 710,000, as reported by NBC News. In 2023, Denver had already spent more than $42 million on housing and medical services for migrants, and it plans to allocate over $100 million for similar costs in 2024.
Furthermore, the fire department will also experience a reduction of $2.5 million, which accounts for approximately 0.8% of its total operating costs. The city also stated that half of these reductions will come from vacant positions.
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
