Homeless rates in the United States reached record numbers in 2024, due in part to immigrants who entered the country illegally and then had trouble finding housing in the nation's sanctuary cities, according to data released by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
HUD data shows that more than 770,000 people were homeless in 2024, marking an 18% climb, and indicates that the percentage of Hispanics affected is exponentially higher because of the increased immigrant population in New York, Denver, Chicago, and other sanctuary cities, The Hill reported Tuesday.
The climb was the largest year-over-year increase since the agency started tracking homelessness in 2007.
The HUD's data shows the surge was connected to the number of immigrants sent to sanctuary cities by Texas GOP Gov. Greg Abbott.
Meanwhile, immigration advocates in the cities have pushed federal officials to expedite immigrants' work permit applications so they can qualify for housing.
Family homelessness increased by 39% in the past year, which HUD also said was affected by immigration.
The HUD report said there were several other reasons for the jump in homelessness, including the end of COVID-19 measures designed to help with housing, according to a recent New York Times report.
The sanctuary cities also experienced immigrants resorting to living in tent communities after they reached time limits for staying in city-operated shelters.
Chicago, New York, and San Diego started closing tent communities this past fall. New York City Democrat Mayor Eric Adams said he did not want to seem insensitive, but stressed that the tent camps were illegal and the shutdowns were in place to help the quality of life for all city residents.
Chicago officials announced this fall that it will end its new arrivals mission and that it will combine its legacy shelter program and shelters for immigrants.
It also announced that its remaining migrant shelters would close by the end of December.
Meanwhile, immigration officials said there have been significant decreases in illegal border crossings after President Joe Biden issued an executive order during the summer.
Sanctuary cities as well are reporting that fewer immigrant-transporting buses are arriving after the Biden order.
Sandy Fitzgerald ✉
Sandy Fitzgerald has more than three decades in journalism and serves as a general assignment writer for Newsmax covering news, media, and politics.
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