Chicago Residents Express Anger Over Migrant Crisis at City Council Meeting
Chicago residents voiced their frustration and anger at local leaders during a city council meeting on Wednesday, highlighting their concerns over the ongoing national illegal immigrant crisis. The city and state officials have allocated hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars to provide for the needs of over 35,000 migrants who have been transported to Chicago and its suburbs in the past 18 months. However, this influx of migrants has strained city resources and left residents feeling neglected.
During the public comments section of the meeting, one Chicago resident criticized the narrative surrounding asylum seekers and refugees, stating, “All this asylum-seeking lie, all this about refugees — no, no, no. What’s happening is they’re emptying out the dregs of their jails into the United States and to our communities.” The resident expressed concern over the impact on their country and their communities, stating, “We’re going to get them out of our communities because they don’t deserve to be there.”
Another speaker demanded that no more taxpayer dollars be allocated for illegal immigrants, particularly in response to Illinois’ Democratic Governor JB Pritzker’s plan to provide an additional $252 million to address the migrant crisis. The woman emphasized that city council members should lead by example and donate their salaries to the cause if they are truly concerned about the crisis.
Governor Pritzker has already pledged approximately $182 million in state funds for Chicago, while Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle has committed up to $70 million in joint funding to ensure that migrants sent to the city from Texas have access to necessary services and healthcare. These allocations are in addition to the $160 million provided by the state in November for the support of illegal immigrants. Illinois State Comptroller Susana Mendoza has launched a public website to track state spending on the migrant crisis and provide transparency to taxpayers.
Despite the significant amount of funding and resources dedicated to supporting migrants, recent data from the city indicates a decline in the number of migrants staying at shelters, with figures dropping to their lowest point in months. As of last week, the number of migrants in shelters had fallen below 13,000, marking a decrease from previous peaks observed in January.
However, even with this decrease, city and state officials estimate that around $321 million will be needed to maintain shelter and services for migrants this year. Mayor Brandon Johnson and the city of Chicago are still responsible for approximately $70 million to cover the associated costs of providing services to illegal immigrants.
The concerns raised by Chicago residents reflect a growing sentiment among conservative voices who believe that resources should be directed towards addressing the needs of American communities rather than focusing on supporting foreign asylum seekers. With tensions running high over the issue, it remains to be seen how local leaders will respond to the demands of their constituents.
This article was written by Jason Chaffetz and edited by a conservative news outlet.
