Illegal immigration adds to record homelessness in US: HUD

Immigrants who entered the United States unlawfully contributed to the highest level of homelessness on record, with the number topping 770,000 in 2024, according to a recent report from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

The department’s report, released in December, measured the number of homeless people in the U.S. at 771,480 in January 2024. This marked an 18% increase from the 653,104 individuals experiencing homelessness in the U.S. in 2023 and the largest since HUD began tracking homelessness in 2005. 

While HUD cited several reasons for the increase, including the COVID-19 pandemic and the 2023 Maui fires, much of the growth occurred in parts of the country overwhelmed by the volume of illegal immigrants seeking access to shelter systems. 

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In response to rising levels of illegal border crossings during the Biden-Harris administration, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott sent immigrants to sanctuary cities, including New York City, Chicago and Denver. Reports emerged of the cities using airports, police stations and local schools to house immigrants, which politicians said was the result of 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, according to the report. HUD compared this to the other 373 communities included in the report, where family homelessness was reportedly less than 8%. 

“No American should face homelessness, and the Biden-Harris Administration is committed to ensuring every family has access to the affordable, safe, and quality housing they deserve,” HUD Agency Head Adrianne Todman said in a statement announcing the report’s release. 

“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,” Todman added. “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 said unlawful crossings at the border had dropped by 60% and encounters had reached their lowest level since July 2020. 

“As a result, migrant arrivals to communities across the country have dropped significantly,”  the department added in its statement. “In Chicago, for example, the migrant shelter census is down more than 60%, and in Denver, the shelter census is down nearly 100%. This fall, both cities announced an end to their migrant shelter systems.”

It is difficult to fully assess whether the increase in homelessness is due to illegal immigration or other issues, however. City and federal officials do not track the immigration status of homeless individuals, as The New York Times reported.

A senior U.S. Customs and Border Protection official told The Associated Press in a statement published Monday that there had been about 44,000 arrests for illegal border crossings in December. 

The official stated that December will mark the sixth straight month that arrests for illegal border crossings were less than the monthly average in 2019, according to the AP. Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas attributed the decline to asylum restrictions implemented in June and other border enforcement policies. 

Throughout his tenure, President Joe Biden and his administration have faced criticism over immigration policies that Republican lawmakers credit with increasing the number of illegal border crossings. 

President-elect Donald Trump focused heavily on the issue of illegal immigration and border security throughout his campaign, promising to initiate deportation efforts of illegal immigrants.

In response, the Mexican government announced plans to open 25 shelters along its northern border for deported illegal immigrants. The facilities are scheduled to open their doors on Jan. 20.