Five of America’s largest cities—Philadelphia, New York, Chicago, San Francisco, and Los Angeles—are in freefall. Crime is surging. Budgets are busted. Taxpayers are covering the cost of illegal immigration. And local leadership, dominated by progressive policies, continues to protect lawbreakers rather than enforce the law. These cities share more than just size—they all call themselves “sanctuary cities.” But sanctuary from what? They shelter illegal immigrants while allowing crime and poverty to rise. They punish law-abiding citizens with taxes, debt, and instability. And they’re actively resisting the enforcement of immigration laws. And they are run by radical left-wing Democrats.
In Philadelphia, 3 in 10 children live in poverty, and neighborhoods like Kensington are open-air drug markets. In 2023, there were over 21,000 car thefts—up 92% from the previous year. New York City faces a $10 billion budget deficit by 2028. Already, over $4 billion has been spent housing illegal migrants in hotels and repurposed schools. Veterans have reportedly been displaced from shelters to make room. More than 146,000 longtime residents left the city last year. And now, NYC could soon elect a Communist, yes Communist, mayor who is openly hostile to Israel—ironic for a city with the largest Jewish population outside of Israel. There were over 2,200 shootings last year in Chicago—50, the July 4 weekend alone. Black citizens are being murdered at disproportionately higher rates, yet the city’s progressive leadership stays the course.
The Chicago Police Department is short 1,600 officers. Police overtime hit $293 million. Car thefts are at a 23-year high. The city faces a $1 billion budget gap and some of the highest taxes in the nation. Corporations like Boeing and Caterpillar have fled, and the downtown vacancy rate now tops 22%. San Francisco is imploding. Nearly 30% of office space sits empty. Since 2018, 156 corporate headquarters have left the city. The city spends more per homeless person—over $190,000—than the average American earns in a year. Roughly 45,000 residents have moved out since 2019. Los Angeles now reports over 75,000 homeless people. In 2023, 72,000 vehicles were stolen—an average of 197 per day. Since 2018, more than 100 companies have relocated their headquarters.
LA’s progressive mayor has announced cash assistance for families of illegal immigrants arrested by ICE. In other words, taxpayers are paying criminals not to comply with federal law. The collapse is both economic and moral. These cities were once symbols of American greatness. Now they symbolize what happens when ideology overtakes common sense and compassion gets twisted into favoritism. Leviticus 24:22 says, “You shall have the same law for the stranger and for one from your own country; for I am the Lord your God.” Equal justice. One law. That’s the foundation of a healthy nation. When cities reject that, decline is inevitable.
Sources:
- “Kensington, Philadelphia.” Wikipedia.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kensington,_Philadelphia
- “NYC migrant crisis costs will crack eye-popping $5 billion…” New York Post.https://nypost.com/2024/08/13/us-news/nyc-migrant-crisis-costs-will-crack-eye-popping-5-billion
- “Migrant crisis cost $150B in 2023…” New York Post.https://nypost.com/2024/10/23/us-news/migrant-crisis-cost-150bn-in-2023-local-towns-cutting-costs-to-cope
- “SF Supervisors preserve millions for homeless…” KQED.https://www.kqed.org/news/12045893/sf-supervisors-preserve-millions-for-homeless-prevention
- “L.A. to provide cash assistance to immigrants arrested by ICE.” Los Angeles Times.https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2025-07-11/l-a-will-provide-cash-assistance-to-immigrants
- “Chicago sees spike in shootings over July 4 weekend.” Chicago Tribune.
- S. Census Bureau – Migration & Urban Trends
- National Homeless Information Project – 2024 Reports
- FBI Uniform Crime Reports – 2023–2024 Data
