Chicago, already grappling with a daunting budget deficit of $538 million for fiscal year 2024 and a possible $1.9 billion shortfall by 2026, now faces a crisis exacerbated by the unchecked surge in new immigrant arrivals.
The city has poured more than $100 million into accommodating these newcomers, with the immigration care cost estimate skyrocketing to a staggering $345 million by year’s end. This number is poised to climb even higher as the daily influx of immigrants, particularly from Texas, continues unabated, with about 25 buses of new arrivals coming per day. As a result, the current monthly expenditures of $30 million may double or even triple, as the city inexplicably refuses to take action to limit new arrivals or control expenditures.
The sanctuary city program, with its unsustainable financial implications, now threatens Chicago with a fiscal Armageddon that its residents will ultimately pay for. We are witnessing the grim consequences of this policy in the failure of Mayor Brandon Johnson’s signature program, Treatment Not Trauma. Originally intended to create alternatives to police responses to 911 calls and connect troubled Chicagoans with critical mental health and intervention services, this initiative has produced only a “working group” studying the possibility of reopening six closed mental health centers by the end of the mayor’s first term.
One can’t help but imagine what could be achieved with the funds being spent on Chicago’s self-inflicted immigration crisis. Community mental health centers, opioid and drug addiction centers, and essential occupational training centers could all be established. Likewise, much-needed teenage, young adult and reentry work programs could be financed, which could help combat the ongoing crime epidemic. According to the University of Illinois at Chicago’s Great Cities Institute, there are more than 66,000 jobless young adults ages 20 to 24 in Chicago alone, and youth unemployment remains a significant contributor to the city’s crime problem.
Regrettably, the city’s leadership appears more inclined to demand additional funding from the state and federal governments rather than addressing the root of the issue by controlling arrivals and expenditures. Johnson’s floor leader, Ald. Carlos Ramirez-Rosa, 35th, has even publicly criticized Gov. J.B. Pritzker for a perceived lack of support. However, Pritzker rightly points out that the state has already allocated $330 million, a sum that continues to grow, to assist the city with the crisis.
The success of American immigrants, of all races, has historically been grounded in their ability to secure employment or start their own businesses, not in relying on government assistance. Immigration has undoubtedly been a cornerstone of America’s success, but it should not entail a policy devoid of border control and that creates greater government dependency. Chicago should establish a firm cap on the number of new arrivals and collaborate fully with the federal government to enforce immigration laws, while also expediting immigrants’ entry into the workforce by granting temporary work permits and business licenses.
At the state level, Pritzker should be as bold as Gov. Greg Abbott of Texas and demand that he end the public transportation of immigrants to cities such as Chicago. Furthermore, he should urge the Biden administration to regulate interstate commerce to put a stop to government-sponsored and taxpayer-funded human trafficking.
In the interim, Pritzker could deploy the state police and even the National Guard to intercept buses transporting immigrants from the South, conducting inspections and cataloging passengers’ identities upon entry into the state. This proactive approach is crucial, especially for vulnerable groups such as children and mothers, allowing for better management and allocation of resources.
However, such coordinated leadership seems absent at the city level.
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As Chicago’s crisis deepens, it is crucial for the Black community, which will bear the brunt of the diversion of millions of dollars to immigrant programs, not to unfairly blame the Latino community. Both communities share concerns about the immigrant influx, which will result in fewer police officers, reduced investment in underresourced communities, diminished city services and higher taxes and fees.
In conclusion, Chicago must implement a strict cap on the influx of new immigrants while removing obstacles for newcomers to secure jobs that contribute to the city’s economy. Transparency, accountability and responsible fiscal management must be applied to spending on immigrants.
It’s time for the city’s leadership to prioritize the well-being of its residents and address the immigration crisis in a manner that respects the rule of law and the principles that have made America great.
Paul Vallas is an adviser for the Illinois Policy Institute. He ran for Chicago mayor this year and in 2019 and was previously budget director for the city and CEO of Chicago Public Schools.
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