Today Rep. Halbrook requested a report on total state spending projected and committed on illegal aliens since August 2022. In total, that number for all state agencies exceeds $708 million.
This number includes the recent commitment Governor Pritzker made yesterday for $160 million more to Chicago for migrants. In addition to the $160 million, another $115 million will go directly to Chicago and over $54 million will be spent on just asylee healthcare.
The spending comes from numerous agencies including the Illinois Emergency Management Agency, Department of Housing, Department of Human Services, and Department of Healthcare and Family Services. The money comes from many different grant lines and redirects spending allocated for other purposes to funding for illegal aliens. Specifically, the report shows that part of the funding for the $160 million includes a redirect of $35 million in TANF block grant cash. Numerous other budgeted amounts are being redirected for migrant care. Earlier this year, Governor Pritzker was caught diverting money intended for rent assistance for Illinois citizens to migrant needs.
The nearly $700 million figure does not include non-citizen healthcare which is expected to be over $831 million, $300 million more than budgeted.
State Rep. Halbrook said, “These numbers are alarming and likely much more will be spent than what is projected. The Democrats should be calling for the border to be closed and illegal aliens to be deported. Instead, they are redirecting money budgeted for Illinois citizens and asking for more money from the federal government to keep the migrants here. There is also a human cost to the illegal immigration with payments to cartels for passage, sex trafficking, and forced servitude in off-the-book jobs.”
The staff report on Asylee Seeker Assistance for FY23 and FY24 can be viewed at this link: https://rephalbrook.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/33/2023/11/Asylum-Seeker-Assistance-FY23-and-FY24-2.pdf