Border Crisis is Killing American Cities and Suburbs
February 11, 2024
FAIR Take | February 2024
The border crisis is impacting the entire U.S., but its effects are most visible and shocking in large cities and the suburbs around them.
Cities appeal to illegal aliens for a variety of reasons. They typically offer higher wages than smaller towns and rural areas, and most illegal aliens are motivated by the prospect of economic gain. However, another primary reason is the ‘sanctuary’ policies of many of the largest cities, which promise a no-questions-asked environment for illegal aliens. These cities also frequently offer access to benefits, such as housing, health care, and legal services regardless of immigration status. This is all very well and good for illegal aliens, but the Americans who call these cities home are suffering the consequences.
Americans have had their community centers and sports facilities commandeered to provide housing for migrants. In Roxbury, Massachusetts, a community center in a predominantly African-American neighborhood was commandeered by state authorities and used to house illegal immigrants. The local community was not consulted and given less than 48 hours’ notice that migrants would take over the community facility. While locals were assured this was a ‘temporary’ measure, it shows where the priorities of the city authorities lay. This is not the first time African-American neighborhoods have seen their community centers taken away, like in October 2023 when Chicago city authorities brought in 10 buses full of illegal aliens to house them in a community center. In Denver, Colorado, the sheer scale of illegal alien arrivals caused the Mayor of Denver to declare a “state of emergency” because of the pressure being placed on city resources.