Democratic leaders in sanctuary states and cities are calling for help as record numbers of immigrants enter the country.
Denver Mayor Mike Johnston is the latest sanctuary city Democrat to speak out. Although he proposed a number of solutions Friday on “America’s Newsroom,” Johnston ultimately echoed calls from other Democrats, insisting that “more federal help” is urgently needed.
Johnston previously warned that the border crisis will “crush the budgets of cities across the country,” as he expects 10% of Denver’s total budget to go toward helping immigrants.
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“I’ve called the White House,” Johnston told hosts Bill Hemmer and Dana Perino. “We’ve told them we need more federal help. That’s why there are dollars in that supplemental budget to do it.”
Chicago’s Democratic Mayor Brandon Johnson expressed concern in December, saying his city is “close to capacity.”
DENVER, CO – MAY 9: Venezuelan migrants wait in line to receive food from a food truck at a migrant processing center on May 9, 2023 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Helen H. Richardson/MediaNews Group/The Denver Post via Getty Images) ((Photo by Helen H. Richardson/MediaNews Group/The Denver Post via Getty Images))
New York City Mayor Eric Adams has pointed the finger at the Biden administration and the state of Texas.
“The federal government must take responsibility and lead this humanitarian crisis,” Adams said during a Dec. 27 press conference.
He later turned his attention to Texas and announced a $700 million lawsuit against 17 charter bus companies for bringing immigrants from Texas and leaving New York City with the enormous costs of food, lodging and providing other necessary services.
“We cannot bear the costs of the state of Texas’ reckless political stratagems alone,” Adams said. “These companies have violated state law by not paying the cost of caring for these immigrants. And that is why we are suing.”
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Johnston is working to find practical solutions and proposes three key steps to address the crisis: expedited processing of asylum applications, work authorizations for immigrants and a nationally coordinated entry system.
Asylum applications, he said, “should take between 30 and 90 days, and not six years.”
“The most important thing is that when people come to our city, we want them to [to have] the ability to work,” he continued. “If they have work authorization when they arrive, they can go to work and support themselves immediately, [they] “I don’t need federal or state support.”
Johnston said he believes there is nothing more un-American than denying people the opportunity to work and forcing them to rely on taxpayers.
He also highlighted the need for a coordinated effort to locate migrants throughout the country.
“We want the country to be able to work collaboratively to determine where migrants need to go and where there is capacity, in the same way we did with the refugees from Ukraine or the refugees from Afghanistan,” he said.
“We know how to do this.”
Although Johnston said his city is reaching a “breaking point” without enough jobs or housing to accommodate the influx of immigrants, he maintained empathy for the state of Texas and Republican Gov. Greg Abbott.
“I contacted Governor Abbott and offered to work together. I would still like to do it,” he said. “Texas shouldn’t have to bear all the weight, nor should Denver, Chicago or New York.”
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