The Chicago City Council has approved $51 million in funding to house and feed illegal immigrants as the illegal immigration crisis that began under the Biden administration continues.
The funding measure passed on Wednesday by a vote of 34-14 and will go towards housing the 10,000 illegal immigrants that have arrived in Chicago since August 2022.
Democrat Mayor Brandon Johnson defended the decision, saying that “Chicago is facing a humanitarian crisis as individuals and families continue to be sent here and other Democratic-led cities across the country without regard for their well-being.”
“My administration will do everything in our power to support these new arrivals as they work to rebuild their lives in the U.S. while still upholding our commitments to the residents of Chicago,” he added. “This appropriation is critical to support our efforts to provide housing and services in the immediate future.”
The news comes after Customs and Border Protection encountered 2,766,582 migrants attempting to illegally cross the border in fiscal year 2022, which is about double the number that were deported. Fiscal year 2023 is on track to shatter that record with 1,816,958 migrant encounters so far.