(DailyChive.com) – Denver Mayor Mike Johnston is making headlines for his strong support of President Joe Biden’s migrant policies, but many locals feel abandoned as city resources are redirected. While migrants receive millions in aid, Denver’s homeless citizens say they’ve been left in the cold—sometimes literally.
Recently, Johnston stirred controversy when he claimed he’d use the city’s police to block Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) from deporting migrants under Donald Trump’s policies. However, he backtracked after incoming border czar Tom Homan pointed out that obstructing ICE is a federal crime. Homan warned Johnston, “It is a felony to harbor or conceal an illegal alien from ICE. Read the statute. Don’t cross that line.”
Johnston quickly shifted his tone, admitting he may have gone too far. “Would I take it back if I could? Yes,” he said, trying to soften his earlier comments. But the damage was done, and many residents were left wondering why their needs seemed to take a backseat to those of migrants.
Denver locals like Tim Rogers are feeling the sting. Rogers, who has been waiting years for housing assistance, says migrants are now prioritized over citizens. “It ain’t fair,” he told reporters. “We’ve been doing everything right, following the system, and we still get pushed aside.”
Rogers recalls a time when those in need could at least find temporary shelter, even if it meant jail. “Now they’re putting migrants in motels while we’re still out here struggling.”
Adding fuel to the fire, Johnston recently celebrated a program to connect migrants to jobs, even as many locals remain unemployed. “We took what people saw as a crisis and turned it into an opportunity,” Johnston said, touting the city’s effort to get migrants into the workforce.
Critics argue that Johnston’s focus on migrants is draining city resources. Since 2022, Denver has spent over $100 million on housing, food, healthcare, and education for migrants, with projections to exceed $180 million by 2024. Meanwhile, funds have been pulled from essential services like police and firefighters to cover these costs.
As the city’s homeless struggle and crime rises, Johnston’s policies have left many questioning his priorities. For Denver’s citizens, it seems their mayor’s grand gestures come at a steep cost.
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