Utah Governor Spencer Cox has strongly criticized Denver Mayor Mike Johnston for sending immigrants to Utah without prior notification. Cox expressed his concerns on social media, highlighting the strain on Utah’s resources due to this unannounced influx.
“Recently, we found out that Denver’s Democratic mayor has been sending immigrants to Utah without informing or getting approval from our state. This is completely unacceptable and echoes the failed catch-and-release policy of the Biden administration,” Cox stated on X. “Every state is dealing with this issue, and Utah’s resources are severely strained.”
In the previous year, Michael Bernacke, the head of the Salt Lake City Field Office for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, labeled Utah as a sanctuary state. This designation was promptly denied by Senate President J. Stuart Adams, then-House Speaker Brad Wilson, and Governor Cox.
“With the ineffective immigration policies of President Biden and Congress, all states, including Utah, are now facing the challenges of being border states,” Cox added. “We urge the Biden administration and Congress to address this crisis urgently.”
A spokesperson for Denver Human Services confirmed to the Washington Examiner that in the past month, 59 immigrants were sent to Utah, while 111 were sent to New York City, and 46 to Chicago. The spokesperson noted that these destinations were chosen by the immigrants themselves. Denver has also procured 2,000 one-way bus tickets to Salt Lake City for immigrants.
“Denver has maintained full transparency regarding our operations for newcomers, including travel arrangements,” the spokesperson stated. “We ensure to notify officials if larger groups are traveling or in rare cases when flights are arranged.”
In response, Utah officials, including Cox, have issued bulletins in Spanish to dissuade immigrants from coming to the state. The message warns that shelters are full, and food banks and other essential services are at capacity. It advises those without secure connections or family in Utah to consider settling in another state.
On Thursday, Texas confirmed that since last May, it has sent over 19,200 migrants to Denver due to the city’s sanctuary status. The spokesperson for Denver Human Services confirmed that most immigrants currently being assisted originated from Texas.
This practice is not unique to Denver; Texas has also sent migrants to Philadelphia, New York City, Washington, D.C., and Chicago. This relocation effort has reportedly led to a 74% reduction in illegal border crossings into Texas since the state began its border security operation in 2021.
Earlier this month, President Biden announced an asylum ban for immigrants caught crossing the border illegally, although this measure came after reports indicated that over 10 million immigrants had entered the U.S. illegally since he took office.
