Pritzker encourages migrants not qualified for asylum being ‘returned’
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[October 11, 2023]
By Greg Bishop | The Center Square
(The Center Square) – Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker says he is encouraged
that the federal government is continuing the deportation of illegal
immigrants in the country who are not seeking asylum.
Last week, Pritzker sent President Joe Biden a letter saying the influx
of non-citizens to Chicago is untenable. That joined a chorus of
concerns from Democrats across the country about the ongoing border
crisis. After an unrelated event in Chicago Tuesday, Pritzker took
questions about whether progress has been made since.
“Shortly after our letter went to the White House, a determination was
made to expand the return of refugees who do not qualify for refugee
status,” Pritzker said. “If they don’t meet the requirements for someone
who can stay, we’re making sure, the federal government anyway, is
making sure that those folks are returned.”
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security announced Thursday deportations
of Venezuelans who cross the southern U.S. border illegally.
State Sen. Steve McClure, R-Springfield, said Democrats own the ongoing
crisis.
“It’s time to create new policies that protect the people of our state
and our country,” McClure told WMAY. “The governor has not been willing
to do that. Instead he wants to blame everybody else for policies that
he has created that are encouraging people to come and stay in this
state.”
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Illinois has budgeted $550 million in state taxpayer dollars to
subsidize the health care of migrants 64 and older. Illinois law also
prohibits local law enforcement from engaging in federal civil
immigration enforcement.
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Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker addresses members of the media at an
event in Chicago Oct. 10, 2023
Illinois.gov
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“For example, a local law enforcement agency in Illinois cannot: give an
immigration agent access to individuals in its custody; detain
individuals pursuant to a federal administrative warrant; detain
individuals pursuant to an immigration detainer request from U.S.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE); or share information about
individuals in its custody with federal immigration authorities,” the
Illinois Attorney General’s Office said in guidance for law enforcement
on immigration issues.
McClure said the state needs to reverse its sanctuary state policies.
“The governor had no problem with these busloads coming as long as they
were in other states. Now all of a sudden that they are in our state, he
admits, ‘oh, well maybe I was wrong about these things, maybe they are
unsustainable,’ but here we are and we’ve got to change policies or
we’re going to be in even worse shape,” McClure said.
Tuesday, Pritzker also said discussions continue with the federal
government about coordination of where buses go if not to Chicago. He
encouraged migrants to seek other areas of the country as the cold
Chicago winter is coming.
The governor said he “has not heard” if there will be a supplemental
spending bill to deal with migrants when state legislators return for
veto session later this month. McClure said the state doesn’t have extra
money for the issue. Last week, the governor estimated state and Chicago
taxpayers have paid more than $500 million to address the growing
migrant issue. |