A recent report revealed that immigrants who entered the United States unlawfully contributed to a record high level of homelessness, with numbers exceeding 770,000 in 2024.
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) report, released in December, recorded the number of homeless individuals in the U.S. at 771,480 in January 2024. This figure represents an 18% increase from the 653,104 individuals experiencing homelessness in 2023 and marks the largest increase since HUD began tracking homelessness in 2005.
While HUD cited several factors for this increase, including the COVID-19 pandemic and the 2023 Maui fires, a significant proportion of the growth occurred in areas overwhelmed by the influx of illegal immigrants seeking access to shelter systems.
In response to the surge in illegal border crossings during the Biden-Harris administration, Texas Governor Greg Abbott began sending immigrants to sanctuary cities, including New York City, Chicago, and Denver. Reports indicate that these cities have utilized airports, police stations, and local schools to house immigrants, which politicians attributed to a lack of space at homeless shelters.
In the 13 communities that reported the impact of illegal migration to HUD, family homelessness more than doubled, compared to "less than 8%" in the other 373 communities included in the report.
HUD Agency Head Adrianne Todman remarked, “While this data is nearly a year old and no longer reflects the situation we are seeing, it is critical that we focus on evidence-based efforts to prevent and end homelessness.” She further stated, “We know what works, and our success in reducing veteran homelessness by 55.2% since 2010 shows that.”
At the time of the report's release, HUD mentioned that unlawful crossings at the border had dropped by 60%, with encounters reaching their lowest level since July 2020. However, assessing the exact impact of illegal immigration on the rise in homelessness is challenging, as city and federal officials do not track the immigration status of homeless individuals, as reported by The New York Times.
A senior U.S. Customs and Border Protection official informed The Associated Press that approximately 44,000 arrests for illegal border crossings occurred in December, marking the sixth consecutive month that arrests have been below the monthly average of 2019. Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas attributed this decline to asylum restrictions implemented in June and other border enforcement policies.
Throughout his tenure, President Joe Biden and his administration have been criticized for immigration policies that Republican lawmakers argue have led to increased illegal border crossings. President-elect Donald Trump focused heavily on the issue of illegal immigration and border security during his campaign, promising to initiate deportation efforts for illegal immigrants.
Accordingly, the Mexican government announced plans to open 25 shelters along its northern border for deported illegal immigrants, with the facilities scheduled to open on January 20.
