Denver reports that $29 million in tax dollars has already been dedicated to house, feed, clothe, and care for the flood of illegal border crossers that have entered the Mile High City this year, and an analysis of spending shows the costs will likely soar upwards to $40 million by the end of the year.
Denver has already taken in more than 25,000 border crossers this year, according to the Denver Gazette, and about 2,500 are currently in city shelters.
The Common Sense Institute recently tallied expenses and says the city is on track to spend $36.3 to $39.1 million by the end of the year.
Common Sense analysts noted that 18,519 immigrants spent at least one day in city shelters, and immigrants spent an average of around 18 days in shelters thus far.
“The city’s spending patterns suggest that its migrant support services exhibit high fixed costs and low variable costs,” the group said, noting that arrival rates and shelter capacity are “weak predictors of spending.”
“This suggests that program expenditure is chiefly driven by overhead costs like facility rents and staff salaries,” the group said. “As a result, though it will help relieve shelter occupancy, the city’s decision to shorten the maximum length of shelter stay will only induce a minor cost reduction.”