Illinois elected officials grapple with growing number of non-citizen arrivals

[November 28, 2023]  By Andrew Hensel | The Center Square

(The Center Square) – As 25 more buses filled with non-citizens arrived in Chicago over the Thanksgiving weekend, questions continue on how to address the growing issue.

The total number of new arrivals currently in city shelters now stands at 12,482. In total, Chicago and parts of Illinois have seen more than 24,000 non-citizens arrive in the past 15 months. Elected officials are discussing the next steps in dealing with the crisis.

Chicago Ald. Ray Lopez, who announced he will run for Congress to unseat long-time U.S. Rep. Chuy Garcia, D-Chicago, criticized Garcia for his handling of the migrant situation.

"We have to solve the issues people are dealing with and not be afraid to address issues because they are hot-button topics," Lopez told The Center Square Monday. "We have seen him [Garcia] do that for nearly four decades and I think the people have had enough."

Some have looked to end the state's sanctuary status completely as costs to care for the migrants continue to increase. However, state Sen. Mike Simmons, D-Chicago, said the state is doing what it needs to do and that Illinois has successfully handled other migrations to the state in the past.

"I think people want to see a compassionate and humane approach to resettlement for a lot of our migrants coming into the state right now," Simmons told The Center Square. "We certainly need to push for social services, make sure that we push for affordable housing, make sure we push for all the services that are necessary so folks can land here humanely. Just like many of us have done so previously."

State Rep. Marcus Evans, D-Chicago, said the state cannot stop the influx and that officials need to better provide care.

Migrants and migrant bedding inside O'Hare International Airport in Chicago
Dan McCaleb | The Center Square

"We got to figure out how to take care of them," Evans said. "We have always done that in this country. It is not a new thing. Back from Ellis Island to Latinos coming here in the 1960s to African Americans coming here from the south, this is not a new issue."

Chicago has budgeted $150 million in taxpayer funds in 2024 to go toward the migrant issue while the state will be adding another $160 million for the crisis. The state funding breaks down to $30 million for a large intake center, $65 million to help Chicago launch a winterized shelter site and $65 million in increased funding to expand the wraparound services for the shelters.

State Rep. Brad Halbrook, R-Shelbyville, told The Center Square that lawmakers need to be concerned about the spending.

"I am concerned about the migrant issue and the budget-buster that it is and coming back for a supplemental appropriation of upwards of a billion dollars," Halbrook said. "People need to be concerned about this."

On top of the millions set aside in the budget, Illinois has already suspended new enrollment for a program intended to provide taxpayer-subsidized health care to the influx of non-citizen arrivals over the age of 65. The program is already up to $831.6 million in projected taxpayer costs.

Illinois has spent over $500 million to care for the migrants since they arrived.