Illegal migrants flooding into the U.S. are exacerbating the country’s homelessness crisis, which could hit a record high this year. In January alone, over 550,000 people were reported homeless, a number expected to increase as some cities, like New York, have not yet submitted data. The country may surpass last year’s figure of 653,000 homeless, the highest since the government began tracking in 2007, according to a Wall Street Journal analysis.
A significant portion of the homeless population is made up of migrants, with nearly half of Massachusetts’ shelter population and over 70% of Chicago’s homeless being migrants. Denver saw a 42% spike in homelessness due to incoming migrants and associated gang violence, as highlighted by reports of gang activity on the streets. Public funds are stretched thin, with Massachusetts expecting to spend over $1 billion this fiscal year on migrant housing alone.
Other factors driving homelessness include the rising cost of housing, surging fentanyl use, and the expiration of pandemic-era tax credits, pushing families into the streets. In California, which already has the largest homeless population in the U.S., Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom is pressuring cities to clear homeless encampments, though the state still struggles with more than 180,000 homeless in 2023. The HUD’s official report for 2024 is pending, but the Journal expects even higher counts due to more accurate data collection across 250 organizations.
