Cook County taxpayers in Illinois will contribute an extra $70 million to support migrant workers arriving in the Chicago region, Governor J.B. Pritzker says on Thursday.
One of the biggest cities in the nation and the heart of migration, Chicago, is located in Cook County.
New data published on Tuesday by U.S. Customs and Border Protection indicates that nationwide crossings between the United States and Mexico decreased by around 42% between December and January. Nonetheless, the figures remain above normal and come after President Joe Biden oversaw years of unprecedented amounts of illegal immigration.
Democratic mayors of Denver and New York City, Eric Adams, and Brandon Johnson, have joined forces to demand greater funding from the federal government and the Biden administration to adequately house the flood of migrants entering their cities.
In their joint funding plan, Democratic Governor Pritzker and President Toni Preckwinkle of the Cook County Board stated that to “make sure shelter, wraparound services, and medical care stay open to asylum seekers” transferred to Chicago from the Texas border, they need an extra $321 million this year along with the money they had already committed.
Taxpayers in Cook County will contribute an additional amount of $70 million towards this joint funding plan. As an element of the current fiscal year budget, they have already contributed $100 million for future migrant arrival expenses.
“As important assistance for this current humanitarian crisis stalls in Congress, Cook County remains dedicated to the well-being of the region,” Preckwinkle stated in a prepared statement. We are excited about Cook County and can’t wait for further resources.”
To close this disparity, Pritzker and Preckwinkle promised to join their financial resources to the tune of nearly $250 million.
The state allocated an extra $160 million in November of last year to the asylum-seeker response, intending to put the money toward “welcome, shelter, and independence.” This is in addition to the $478 million the state has already spent from the start of the immigration response.
Pritzker has committed an additional $182 million as part of his budget proposal for the 2025 fiscal year, which will be presented to the General Assembly.
“With numerous asylum seekers choosing to migrate to Chicago in urgent desire for assistance and with Congress choosing to decline to act—it is evident that the state, county, and the city are going to do extra to maintain people safe,” Pritzker stated.