The Denver City Council on Monday will consider a combined $50 million in immigration funding amid the city’s unprecedented influx of newcomers from the country’s southern border.

Denver has received 38,251 immigrants since the beginning of 2023, according to the city’s immigration dashboard on Friday. 

Nearly all of the immigrants arrive homeless and without work authorization. About 3,781 immigrants are being housed by the city as of Friday.

Mayor Mike Johnston said Denver’s influx is the country’s biggest per capita and he has called on the federal government for help. The city has already spent $38 million on the issue, with approximately $14.1 million in reimbursements coming from federal funding.

The council faces two items dedicated to the issue on Monday.

A first reading of an item to be voted on Feb. 12 is for a $25 million cash transfer from the city’s General Fund and the Capital Improvement Fund into the Border Crisis Special Revenue Fund.

“The city is currently in the process of drawing funds from our contingency reserves to meet the needs of the most recent surge in arrivals from the southern border,” a mayor’s office spokesperson told The Denver Gazette.

Additionally, the council plans to vote on a $25 million master purchase order with Quebec Hospitality (Colorado Hospitality Services) to provide hotel rooms for temporarily housing immigrants.

In other action, the council will consider:

• A $1.6 million funding agreement with Elevation Community Land Trust to help fund the acquisition of 1523 and 1551 Verbena St. to provide affordable housing.
• Four master purchase orders with SuperTrees Colorado LLC, Green Spot, Edmundson and Little Valley Wholesale Nursery totaling $7.5 million over three years to buy balled, burlap and container trees for the Denver Parks and Recreation Forestry Division.
• A $2 million grant agreement with Colorado’s Department of Public Safety, Division of Criminal Justice, Office of Victim Programs to fund the “Crime Victim Compensation” program.
• An $899,678 grant agreement with the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment for its “State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds – American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA)” program.
• A $1,230,000 grant agreement with the U.S. Department of Public Safety, Division of Criminal Justice to fund the “State’s Mission for Assistance in Recruiting and Training Childcare Center Project.”
• A second reading of a measure to add $2,618,668 to a contract for a new total of $5,113,900.57 and a one-year extension to provide paramedics and vans for the Support Team Assisted Response (STAR) program.