In the heart of the American West, Denver's progressive policies on immigration are testing the limits of municipal budgets and political resolve.
As Democratic Mayor Mike Johnston takes a bold stance, stating his willingness to face jail time in opposition to the Trump administration's mass-deportation plan, the financial cost of his policies comes into sharp focus. According to a recent report by the Common Sense Institute (CSI), Denver has spent an astonishing $356 million on migrants, raising crucial questions about the sustainability of such policies and their broader economic implications.
Based on city-provided data, the CSI analysis reveals that Denver's $356 million allocation for migrants represents approximately 8% of its $4.4 billion 2025 budget. This translates to a staggering $7,900 per migrant. The sum encompasses direct city spending and regional education and healthcare system contributions.
These expenditures highlight the increasing strain on local governments tasked with accommodating large numbers of migrants. Economist John Cogan's work in The High Cost of Good Intentions underscores how well-meaning policies often lead to significant fiscal consequences. Denver's case exemplifies how compassion-driven governance can inadvertently destabilize municipal finances, creating a precarious situation for taxpayers.
Allocating such substantial resources to migrant support necessitates trade-offs. Public funds that might otherwise address housing shortages, infrastructure improvements, or local business incentives are redirected. For instance, Denver's chronic homelessness problem could arguably benefit from a significant portion of the funds currently allocated to migrant services.
This aligns with the findings of Glaeser and Gyourko in Rethinking Federal Housing Policy, which argue that targeted investment in housing initiatives yields long-term economic and social benefits. Redirecting even a fraction of the $356 million toward affordable housing might alleviate Denver's housing crisis, demonstrating a potential opportunity cost of its current immigration policies.
Regional education and healthcare organizations are also feeling the impact. Schools face overcrowding as they integrate migrant children, often without proportional increases in funding or resources.
A study published in the Journal of Public Economics by Hanushek and Woessmann (2015) highlights the adverse effects of resource constraints on educational outcomes, suggesting that Denver's spending on migrants could inadvertently hinder academic achievement for all students.
Similarly, healthcare systems are stretched thin, as uninsured migrants require emergency services that burden local hospitals. The American Journal of Public Health (2019) reports that unfunded healthcare mandates often lead to higher costs for insured patients and reduced quality of care.
Mayor Johnston's stance captures the tension between ideological commitment and fiscal responsibility. His willingness to face jail over opposition to deportation policies resonates with his base but risks alienating moderates concerned about the financial burden. Political scientist Michael Sandel's Justice: What's the Right Thing to Do? Explores such dilemmas, emphasizing the difficulty of balancing moral imperatives with practical governance.
Denver's $356 million expenditure on migrants highlights a growing challenge for cities navigating the intersection of humanitarian responsibility and fiscal pragmatism. While the city's leaders champion their progressive values, the mounting costs raise serious questions about long-term sustainability and the sacrifices borne by taxpayers.
As Mayor Johnston's opposition to mass deportation draws national attention, Denver is a microcosm of the broader debate on immigration policy, the actual cost of compassion, and economic stewardship.
Michael Levine is an American writer and public relations expert. He is the author of books on public relations including Guerrilla PR. He's represented 58 Academy Award winners, 34 Grammy Award winners, and 43 New York Times best-sellers, including Michael Jackson, Barbra Streisand, and George Carlin among many others. Levine also appeared in "POM Wonderful Presents: The Greatest Movie Ever Sold," a 2011 documentary by Morgan Spurlock. Levine has provided commentary for Variety, Forbes, Fox News, The New York Times, and USA Today. He has been referred to in different publications as the "Michael Jordan of Entertainment PR." Read More of Michael Levine's Reports — Here.