In debate among Denver Democrats Mayor Mike Johnston As US President-elect Donald Trump picks “border czar” Tom Homan over his mass deportation plans, a shocking report is released saying the mayor’s city has spent $356 million on immigrants dollars of taxpayer funds.
This report was prepared by a Institute of Common Sense (CSI), a nonpartisan research organization dedicated to protecting and promoting the U.S. economy. According to Fox News, they provide an updated analysis from last week.
The amount represents 8% of Denver’s $4.4 billion budget in 2025, according to CSI, according to city data. The calculations include the city’s budget as well as regional education and health care spending.
Denver has experienced an unprecedented influx of immigrants under the Biden-Harris administration, leading Johnston to reduce city services, including recreation center operations and spring garden facilities, while receiving emergency funding.
Education spending made up the largest portion of the $356 million in spending, with other expenses including health care, accommodation, transportation and child care, according to CSI data. As a sanctuary city, Denver neither enforces immigration laws nor cooperates with Immigration and Customs Enforcement agencies.
Since December 2022, approximately 45,000 immigrants have entered the Denver metro area, with 16,197 immigrant students attending local schools. “The total annual cost to Denver metro schools related to newcomer students is $228 million, equivalent to 1-2 percent of the total state K-12 education budget in the 2024-25 school year,” the organization said.
“A previous CSI report estimated the cost of instruction and support per student in the Denver metro area at $14,100 per year. This cost was assumed to total $228 million for all newcomer students.”
Denver’s health care system has reached critical capacity, with CSI estimating the cost of uncompensated immigrant care in emergency rooms at $49 million. “From December 2022 to present, 16,760 (immigrants) visited Denver metro emergency rooms, and providers will provide $49,124,029 in uncompensated care to immigrants.”
The peak of the influx in January 2024 was expected to hit $180 million in spending by 2024, but actual city spending tracking shows about $79 million, the study said. “Among them, 34.5% is used for facilities such as hotels, 29.4% is used for personnel, 14% is used for services, and 11% is used for food.”
Johnston recently said he was prepared to protest actions deemed “illegal, immoral or un-American,” including the use of force. Asked about the possibility of imprisonment, he replied: “Yes, I’m not afraid of that and I’m not seeking that. I think our goal is we want to be able to negotiate with reasonable people how to resolve difficult problems. problem.
Trump’s designated “border czar” Tom Homan told Fox News’ Sean Hannity, “All he has to do is look at Arizona v. United States to see that he’s violating the law. But, look, The mayor of Denver and I, we agreed on one thing, he was willing to go to jail and I was willing to send him to jail.
