The illegal immigrants will be housed in apartments for up to six months. They will also receive job and skills training and food assistance.
Denver Mayor Mike Johnston announced a major shift Wednesday in the city’s response to the illegal immigrant crisis, extending support to six months but with only about 1,000 spaces.
The city’s nearly $90 million budget plan identifies how it will fund immigrant housing and aid for the remainder of 2024. The mayor’s pivot comes after the city failed to get federal aid. Denver has served more than 40,000 immigrants since late 2022, according to a press release.
“After more than a year of facing this crisis together, Denver finally has a sustainable plan for treating our newcomers with dignity while avoiding the worst cuts to city services,” Mr. Johnston said in a statement. “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.”
Denver and other Democratic-led cities had asked the Biden administration for aid to assist with the influx of migrants into their communities.
President Joe Biden asked Congress for $1.4 billion in funding for the effort as part of his budget. Congress refused and instead cut the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Shelter and Services Program from $800 million to $650 million.
“Whether we’d like the federal government to do it or not, that was no longer a choice for us,” Mr. Johnston said.
City officials claim the new approach will allow for surges of immigrants while focusing on helping them become independent. The move is a departure from the city’s previous strategy of weeks- to months-long shelter stays.
The illegal immigrant will be housed in apartments for up to six months. They will also receive job and skill training, opportunities for skills certifications, unpaid job experience, food assistance, and help with filing asylum applications.
The “Denver Asylum Seeker Program” will act as a buffer and offer intensive preparation while immigrants wait six months for their work permits after applying for asylum.
