Kankakee Times

Kankakee County’s municipalities did not respond to an inquiry regarding their stance on accepting funding for the resettlement of undocumented immigrants. The municipalities were queried about whether they have been contacted by state officials or General Assembly members concerning such funding, if they anticipate their municipality utilizing such funding, and what their community’s position is on the permanent resettlement of migrants.

The municipalities that failed to respond to requests from the Kankakee Times include Kankakee, Bourbonnais, Bradley, Manteno, Momence, Limestone, Herscher, Grant Park, St. Anne, Essex, Aroma Park, Chebanse, Limestone, Pembroke, Hopkins Park, Sun River Terrace, Bonfield, Buckingham, Sammons Point, Irwin and Union Hill.

Their lack of response raises questions about their stance on illegal immigration and the utilization of available resources for resettlement programs.

The Metropolitan Mayors Caucus has been advocating for suburban communities to accept funds linked to the resettlement of undocumented immigrants in their localities. According to the caucus's website, it includes the City of Chicago, DuPage Mayors and Managers Conference, Lake County Municipal League, McHenry County Council of Governments, Metro West Council of Government, Northwest Municipal Conference, South Suburban Mayors and Managers Association, Southwest Conference of Mayors, West Central Municipal Conference, and Will County Governmental League.

The Metropolitan Mayors Caucus invited applications for $11 million in grants under the Supporting Municipalities for Asylum Seeker Services (SMASS) program. This initiative aims at assisting undocumented immigrants in Illinois. The funds were referred to as "Round II." The distribution will be supervised by the Metropolitan Mayors Caucus through a Request for Information process. Eligibility is extended to municipal governments willing to receive asylum seekers. Furthermore, lead municipalities can partner with other governmental bodies and organizations as subgrantee partners. This collaboration ensures efficient and comprehensive support for asylum seekers while adhering to grant guidelines and procedures.

This call for application submissions followed Governor J.B. Pritzker's announcement about the availability of these funds. Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Human Services announced an additional $17 million in funding for municipalities in response to over 38,000 new arrivals sent to Illinois from Texas since 2022. These funds aim to enhance capacity in municipalities outside Chicago by providing direct services such as temporary shelter, emergency triage, legal assistance, health screenings among others. The $11 million round of Supporting Municipalities for Asylum Seeker Services funds was exclusively available to municipalities outside of Chicago, facilitated by the Metropolitan Mayors Caucus (MMC) through a competitive solicitation process. In addition, $6 million of the investment will support Illinois Welcoming Centers and Immigrant Family Resources Program providers, underlining the state’s commitment to supporting immigrants and fostering partnerships in local communities, according to a press release from IDHS.