The sanctuary city of Denver has reportedly begun asking landlords to rent out properties to unlawful migrants who are arriving in the city amid the ongoing security crisis at the southern border.
The request coincides with the shuttering of four unlawful migrant shelters, a move that Denver Mayor Mike Johnston said would save city taxpayers roughly $60 million.
“That means the $180 million deficit that we were facing is now closer to $120 million. That still leaves us $120 million of cuts to make,” he explained at a press conference, per ABC Denver. “So that means we still have work to do.”
Jon Ewing, a Denver Human Services spokesperson, said that the city has begun looking for different ways to house the unlawful migrants coming to the city, noting that non-profit organizations are also helping out.
“We put out a feeler to all the landlords we have connections with,” he said, per Fox News. “Basically said, listen, we’re going to have some newcomers who are going to need housing.”
This request comes as unlawful migration has become one of the most discussed topics leading into the 2024 presidential election, with many calling for President Joe Biden to take action.
Since Biden took office in 2021, more than 7.3 million unlawful migrants have been encountered along the southern border, according to data from U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
Concerns have arisen due to some sanctuary cities choosing to release unlawful migrants who are charged with a crime. One such case purportedly led to the murder of University of Georgia student Laken Riley.
The suspect arrested in connection with the murder of Riley was 26-year-old Jose Antonio Ibarra, who had previously been in the custody of the New York Police Department for allegedly endangering the life of his wife’s 5-year-old son, per the New York Post. The child was riding with Ibarra on a scooter without the protection of a helmet.
Ibarra and his brother were later arrested in Athens, Georgia, for allegedly shoplifting food and clothing from a Walmart.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) said in a statement after Riley’s death that Ibarra was “released by the NYPD before a detainer could be issued,” per the New York Post.
In response to the murder of Riley, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill on Thursday that would require ICE to detain any unlawful migrant charged with shoplifting or burglary.
HR 7511, known as the Laken Riley Act, passed by a vote of 251-170, with every Republican member of the House voting in favor of the legislation.
The House Republicans were also joined by 37 Democrats who voted in favor of the bill. All 170 votes against the bill came from House Democrats, according to The Hill.
Rep. Mike Collins (R-GA) introduced the bill and has voiced his support for stricter laws in relation to the arrest of unlawful migrants, adding that he hopes the Senate also chooses to push the bill forward.
“The senseless murder of Laken Riley by Jose Ibarra, who had no business being in this country, was another wake-up call as Americans experience an illegal alien crime wave because of Joe Biden’s open border and local sanctuary city policies,” he said, per Fox News.
