Kankakee Times

Bonfield Village officials have expressed their inability to handle the influx of illegal immigrants being dropped off in the village. A vote on an ordinance to limit such drop-offs is scheduled for February.

“We are not equipped to accept migrants in the village, yes we are voting on an ordinance in February, the first reading was read at our meeting this month,” Bonfield Village in Kankakee County told the Kankakee Times.

The issue of immigrant drop-offs has become more prominent since late December when the City of Chicago began implementing fines and threatening to impound non-compliant buses. These measures specifically target buses dropping off illegal immigrants within city limits without prior notice. According to Patch, this has led to an increase in drop-offs in suburban communities with Metra access.

During a Hinsdale Village Board meeting last month where such drop-offs were prohibited, officials reported being notified by a bus driver that these occurrences were expected to continue through March. The DuPage Policy Journal reported that the frequency of daily drop-offs throughout the state has varied, often exceeding 10 instances and at times approaching 800 people per day.

In light of reports that over 34,000 illegal immigrants have arrived in Illinois since mid-2022, concerns have grown and calls for stronger border control measures have intensified. Last fall, Illinois allocated $42.5 million in grant monies for municipalities to house illegal immigrants. Lake County, Elgin, Oak Park, Urbana and Chicago had received grant funds from the state as of last fall to assist with housing and other needs. Overall, Capitol News Illinois reports that the state has allocated $500 million for the care of illegal immigrants.