The U.S. homeless population is on pace to reach record levels in 2024, driven in part by the large number of migrants being bused into major cities. According to data reviewed by the Wall Street Journal, the homeless count is up by 10% from last year, with an estimated 550,000 people living in shelters or on the streets.

The final number could surpass 653,000, the highest since the government began tracking comparable data in 2007. Cities like New York, Denver and Chicago have seen their homeless numbers swell as migrants, primarily bused in from Texas, fill local shelters. New York City, which has a legal obligation to provide shelter, has been particularly overwhelmed by the influx.

In addition to the financial burden on taxpayers, the increase in migrants has led to rising crime and gang activity in these cities, further straining local resources. Critics argue that the Biden administration’s open-border policies are making the homeless crisis worse, particularly as many working Americans are struggling with rising costs under “Bidenomics.”

With shelters at capacity and the number of homeless individuals rising rapidly, the situation is expected to worsen as the year progresses.