Kankakee Times

In Kankakee County, numerous municipalities have declined to respond to an inquiry by the Kankakee Times regarding their policies on illegal immigration. The municipalities that refrained from disclosing their stance on the ongoing crisis of illegal immigration include Kankakee, Bourbonnais, Bradley, Manteno, Momence, Limestone, Herscher, Grant Park, St. Anne, Essex, Aroma Park, Hopkins Park, Sun River Terrace, Buckingham, Sammons Point, Irwin and Union Hill.

The Village of Bonfield was the only Kankakee County community to respond to a Kankakee Times request.

“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 refusal by most of Kankakee’s communities to discuss their policies comes in the wake of Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson's plea for assistance from suburban mayors in dealing with the city’s crisis of illegal immigrants.

Mayor Gary Grasso of Burr Ridge commented on Johnson's request saying: "He’s asking us all for support and calling out the federal government."

In a conversation with NBC Chicago, Grasso stated that Johnson specifically asked for support for increased funding needs related to shelter provision and services for migrants. He also mentioned Johnson's demand from Washington.

Mark Senak, Glen Ellyn Village President recently disclosed during the League of Women Voters Glen Ellyn 2024 State of the Village Annual Meeting held on January 26th that his community had been offered an $11 million state grant. This grant is intended to facilitate the permanent resettlement of illegal immigrants within Glen Ellyn. This issue came into focus after State Rep. Terra Costa Howard (D-Glen Ellyn) informed the village about available funds designated for this purpose as reported by DuPage Policy Journal.

The need for stronger border control measures has been highlighted by reports that over 34,000 illegal immigrants have arrived in Illinois since mid-2022. Last fall, Illinois allocated $42.5 million in grant money for municipalities to house illegal immigrants. Lake County, Elgin, Oak Park, Urbana and Chicago were among the recipients of these state funds aimed at assisting with housing and other needs. In total, the state has set aside $500 million for the care of illegal immigrants as reported by Capitol News Illinois.