Colorado Republicans express concerns about the impact of migrant surge on citizens: "Their souls are crushed"

Denver Mayor Mike Johnston's vow to station police to block ICE agents from carrying out deportations and the report revealing that the city has spent over $356 million in taxpayer dollars on services for migrants have prompted Colorado Republicans to criticize Democrats for being "out-of-touch."

Last week, the Common Sense Institute disclosed that the city's foreign nationals contribute $7,900 each to the city's budget, which is 8% of the total 2025 budget.

The leader of the Republican caucus in the Colorado State Assembly, Rose Pugliese, stated that the state's resources are being strained due to the large number of migrants entering the state.

Since 2021, the Democrat-controlled legislature has spent an estimated $563 million on illegal immigrants, with $352 million of that on education spending alone.

"Illegal immigration in Colorado has resulted in a substantial financial loss for the state, which could have been used to improve services for our residents, maintain infrastructure, and enhance public safety," she stated.

Mayor Johnston was deemed "out of touch on this issue" by Pugliese, who argued that the 2024 election results showed that illegal immigration was a top concern across the country.

"Unfortunately, there is no public estimate by the state regarding illegal immigrants in Colorado due to policy decisions by the majority in the state legislature over the last ten years."

"If you don't know the numbers, you can never be right," she continued, stating that "inaccurate accounting only worsens the problem for local and state budgets when planning."

According to Roger Hudson, a city councilman for Castle Pines, there is no kindness or hope in the actions of Democrats towards the city.

Since 2022, Denver has received more than 45,000 migrants, according to Hudson. He stated that these migrants have significantly impacted the city's budget, particularly in areas such as public schools and parks.

"The grass in parks is no longer being mowed, fountains are shut down, rec centers are closed, and the homeless problem is completely out of control," he said. "What they’ve done to Denver is horrific."

Additionally, he accused Democrats of transporting migrants to neighborhoods in the city, including Aurora, where the Venezuelan gang "Tren de Aragua" terrorized an entire apartment building.

"In our state, migrants are exploiting one another, mistreating women, elderly people, and disabled individuals, stealing, and contributing to a drug problem that previously did not exist."

"Our state's Democrats and liberals/progressives have done something shameful, and it's clear that our residents are fed up with it. In the past, the state was full of hope, with the Rocky Mountains in the background representing aspirations. However, now, when you look down at the streets, you see people begging for their next fix or alcohol, and their spirits are broken."

The Denver City Council spokesperson declined to comment on the $356 million spent on migrant services, stating that the council is not involved in the day-to-day operations of these services.