Chicago leaders approve an additional $51 million for migrant care

Politicians and citizens in Chicago squabbled feverishly over funding more migrant care rather than giving the money to black communities as the city faces a financial crisis from the influx of immigrants who have arrived on buses in recent months.

A heated meeting Wednesday at Chicago City Hall included tears, finger pointing and screaming as residents and officials debated the best use of resources.

More than 10,000 migrants have flooded the city since buses arrived from the US-Mexico border in August and some have had to resort to sleeping in police stations as Chicago ran out of housing.

Officials have called for more financial aid for the migrant crisis, but others demanded that the money go to other neighborhoods.

“We need to allocate some of this money to our black children, to the black community,” a member of the public declared at the rally.

In the end, Chicago leaders allocated an additional $51 million to help the city fund care for migrants — while adding $0 to help black communities.

The funding, which was approved 43-13, lasts only until June and is intended to help Mayor Brandon Johnson adjust to the crisis he inherited from the previous mayor, Lori Lightfoot.

The new funding, which passed by a vote of 43 to 13, lasts through June and is designed to help Mayor Brandon Johnson, who took office just two weeks ago, navigate a crisis he inherited from outgoing mayor, Lori Lightfoot .

In her final days as mayor, she declared the migrant situation in Chicago a “state of emergency.” Chicago officials have said they cannot afford to rent hotel rooms for the more than 10,000 migrants, who have arrived in the city with nowhere else to go, filling police stations.

The new money is spent on it personnel, food, transport and legal services in temporary shelters, in the hope that this will happen alleviate the city’s crisis.

Alderman Jason Ervin, Chairman of the Budget Committee, told ABC7 the city will have to come up with a long-term plan, and that the money is primarily intended to give Johnson’s administration breathing room.

“There has to be a bigger plan and I think this is always designed to give the incoming administration time to do that. This is an emergency measure, pure and simple,” he said after the proposal was passed.

Much of Wednesday afternoon’s debate was racially charged, viewing black Chicagoans and Hispanic migrants as two separate groups in need.

“We need to allocate some of this money to our black children, to the black community,” one audience member shouted.

However, some speakers encouraged taking a less divided position.

“We have to help the people of this great city. It’s not either or. It’s both,” said Alderman David Moore of the 17th Ward.

Jeanette Taylor of the 20th Ward (pictured) was moved to tears as she begged people to empathize with the migrants despite feeling the city was neglecting black communities

Jeanette Taylor of the 20th Ward was moved to tears as she addressed the crowd, who then applauded her remarks.

“We’re just fighting to drink from a goddamn fountain, but hurt people don’t hurt other hurt people,” she said.

Steve Boulton, chairman of the Republican Party of Chicago, roundly criticized the funding.

“We don’t know where that money comes from,” he said. “We are not told what that money will be spent on. We are not told how it is spent.

“It is irresponsible of the city council to appropriate what is little more than emergency money to get us through a month or two and then the problem is still right in our face.”

Alderman Maria Hadden of the 49th Ward voted for the additional funding, but asked community members to consider black residents as well.

“Anyone who works hard for this, you have to stand up for black Chicagoans with the same energy, and that costs money,” Hadden said at the rally.

Videos and photos from the past few weeks show corridors in some Chicago neighborhoods filled with mattresses and the personal belongings of migrants

Chicago is one of several Democratic-controlled cities where Southern states have bused migrants as the crisis deepens at the US-Mexico border

Videos and photos from the past few weeks show hallways in some Chicago neighborhoods filled with mattresses and the personal belongings of migrants.

Chicago is one of several Democratic-controlled cities where Southern states have been transporting migrants as the crisis on the US-Mexico border deepens.

Footage by photojournalist Rebecca Brannon showed dozens of migrants sitting on and around mattresses at a Chicago police station.

Brannon reported that many of the migrants had been sleeping and eating on the floors, hampering daily police activities.

More than 10,000 migrants have arrived in Chicago since August, when southern states began shipping asylum seekers north. Texas Governor Greg Abbott sent migrants to Democratic-run cities to ease the burden on border towns.

“To provide much-needed relief to our overrun border communities, Texas began shipping migrants to sanctuary cities like your “Welcoming City,” along with Washington, DC, New York City, and Philadelphia, with more to come.

“Until Biden secures the border to stop the influx of mass migration, Texas will continue this necessary program,” Abbott wrote in a May letter.

Migrants were sent to cities such as Chicago, Philadelphia and New York. Migrants have also arrived in Washington, D.C., with buses stopping in front of Vice President Kamala Harris’ home.