650,000 migrants in NYC will cost over $5 billion, one-third of the police budget

New York City taxpayers will be hit with an estimated $5.3 billion bill to cover the cost of housing, food, and other services for an influx of migrants bussed in from the US-Mexico border.<br><br>More than 650,000 migrants have streamed into New York City in the last 18 months, with over 175,000 currently living in 560 hotels, shelters, and other facilities across the five boroughs, city officials say.<br><br>While the city says it has secured $2.2 billion in reimbursement money from the state, it is still expecting a shortfall of up to $3.1 billion, which it will cover by factoring in the costs over the next three years, the New York Times reported.<br><br>The estimated annual bill of $5.3 billion amounts to roughly one-third of the city’s $17.6 billion police budget, or the annual cost of providing free pre-K to 120,000 children.