This Week in Open Borders America: Cutting Jobs to Support Migrants

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Denver Cutting Jobs to Support Migrants

On Monday, Feb. 26, Denver, CO, announced it may cut hours for some of its employees and reallocate the funds to support migrants. The city plans to cut $4.3 million in funding from its Parks and Recreations department, which would affect on-call employees including front desk workers, lifeguards, and coaches.

“The reduction in hours of operation and programs will affect the number of hours worked by many on-call, some to the point where they may not receive any hours,” Denver Parks and Recreations Director Jolon Clark told 9News. “The final decisions on hours for any individual position have not been made yet.”

Mayor Mike Johnston (D) announced on Feb. 28 that the city will also be scaling back on illegal immigrant services to save the city money. During a press conference, he said one shelter will close each week over the next month, which should reduce the city’s budget by nearly $60 million. The mayor predicts the migrant crisis will cost the city around $180 million this year. “If we had more resources at the border, we had more security, we had more administrative officers to actually process people, we could do it more effectively and efficiently,” he said last month.

Open Borders and Releasing Migrants on Streets

Last Friday, Feb. 23, hundreds of migrants in San Diego, CA, were released at a bus stop without access to public bathrooms after funding for aid ran out. The undocumented were from several countries, including China, Ecuador, and Senegal. Usually, the immigrants would be dropped off at a reception center that serves as a staging area, but the money to fund these services dried up.

The parking lot was full of vehicles, making it difficult for the migrant passengers to find a place to stand, charge their cell phones, or find something to eat. The county has given $6 million since October to SBCS, formerly known as South Bay Community Services, to provide needs such as phone-charging stations and food. The group had planned to stay open through March but closed on Feb. 22 due to lack of funds, AP reported.

Nora Vargas, chair of the San Diego County board of supervisors, said part of the financial woes are attributed to the January flooding of the area and addressing homelessness and health care among its own residents. Customs and Border Protection said in a statement that these street releases were “the latest example of the pressing need for Congress to provide additional resources and take legislative action to fix our outdated immigration laws.”

San Diego is a hot spot for illegal crossings. The city sees an average of 800 daily arrests in January, with more than 100 from China.

Illegals to Get Professional Certifications in Washington?

Earlier this month, the Washington House of Representatives passed HB 1889, which is currently being considered by the Senate. If the bill is approved, illegal migrants in the Evergreen State will be able to get professional licenses and permits by providing a taxpayer identification number instead of a social security number. “An individual who is not lawfully present in the United States is eligible for a professional license, commercial license, certificate, permit, or registration,” the bill declares. Some of the permits and licenses that won’t require a social security number include optometrist, bail bond agent, and “money transmitter,” KRCR reported.

Representative Amy Walen, a Democrat and sponsor of the bill, said: “We have a generation of people who have grown up in our state but can’t take advantage of some of the career opportunities that are available to other residents. When we look at who should get a license, their training and qualifications should be a factor, not their immigration status.”

However, the Washington Policy Center disagrees and suggests the measure will encourage even more illegals to take advantage of the current open borders policies. “HB 1899 [sic] would make it more enticing for citizens of other countries to make the dangerous journey across the southern border and enter the United States illegally,” it wrote. “Lawmakers encouraging illegal immigration do a disservice to those who pursue a legal entry, either temporarily or permanently, into the United States.”

What will next week bring us in Open Borders America?