The Chicago City Council passed a $70 million spending package for the thousands of migrants who have entered the city over the last several years. The effort came amid increasing criticism of Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson’s (D) approach to the migrants.
The council allotted the money after a 30-18 vote. The extra funds bring the total spent by the city on migrants this budget year to more than $200 million. The mayor’s office said that the money was intended to handle any further influx of migrants.
The office mentioned Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R), who has sent migrants northward from the border to self-described sanctuary cities and states.
I Investigated the Chicago Migrant Crisis:
Over 40,000 (reported) illegal immigrants have arrived in Chicago in the past year. Migrants are taking housing from US citizens and migrant families are receiving up to $10,000 a month while individual migrants are receiving up to… pic.twitter.com/LPfT1lSF7z— Nick shirley (@nickshirleyy) April 22, 2024
There are an estimated 40,000 migrants in the city.
Residents criticized the mayor and the city council in person during a recent meeting. Residents have also criticized the city government over previous spending and one plan to convert a former high school into a shelter for the migrants.
“We need that money in my neighborhood, we need that money on my block,” said one demonstrator. “So I’m asking y’all to use our tax money for our people, we need it.”
“Vote for the money for these immigrants today and we coming for those seats, you can believe that,” the same protester said. “You better be worrying about your job, you better be worrying about your longevity because we gonna vote and we gonna getcha out, ’cause you ain’t doing right by us, that’s what time it is.”
Chicago has received the second-most number of migrants since the current wave started after President Joe Biden took office in 2021. The flow of migrants into the Windy City increased following the Biden administration’s announcement last year that it would end the Title 42 asylum policy enacted by former president Donald Trump.
Chicago’s migrant numbers are second only to New York City, which has taken in almost 200,000 migrants since last year. As a result, the city has seen an increase in crime and several rounds of budget cuts.
