South Cook News

Amid Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson's proposal to disperse migrants to suburban communities, suburban leaders, including Orland Park's Republican Mayor Keith Pekau, have raised concerns about the lack of resources for accommodating migrants.

“Biden, Pritzker and Johnson all ignore our immigration laws with their border policies and sanctuary state and city proclamations,” Mayor Pekau wrote in an Aug. 19 Facebook post.“Even worse is the disgusting way they treat migrants like chattel rather than human beings. Get to the polls in 2024, 2026 and 2027 and end this stupidity.”

Pekau told Center Square that many municipalities lack the necessary funds and health departments to support incoming migrants. 

"None of us have the resources for this. We do not have health departments. We do not have that kind of stuff," Pekau told Center Square. "[Gov. J.B. Pritzker] has called us a sanctuary state, right? Here's the deal, at the state level, the state has been ripping all the municipalities off by the Local Government Distributive Fund since prior to Pritzker.” 

Pekau has criticized Johnson and President Joe Biden for allegedly disregarding U.S. law. "Municipalities have been getting screwed by the state of Illinois. Our residents are helping them [the state] pay for things off their own backs that they don't even know about," Pekau said, according to Center Square. "Keep in mind how Pritzker attacks all the municipalities for property taxes and everything else but guess what? You are taking away money from them first.” Chicago's designation as a "sanctuary city" continues to fuel discussions about migrants' settlement and the allocation of funds for their housing and healthcare. "I think, at a high level, it is very simple. Joe Biden is putting his nose in the air to our laws and is violating our laws at the border," Pekau said. "Brandon Johnson and his city have supported this, and he and the Cook County Board want them to be a sanctuary city, and that violates our laws as well.”

Peaku’s comment came after Johnson said he initiated discussions with suburban leaders about relocating migrants to surrounding communities, sparking both support and concerns, Center Square reported. With thousands of migrant families already having arrived in Chicago over the past year, Johnson is seeking collaboration with suburban towns, such as Orland Park, to accommodate them.

Amid the arrival of thousands of immigrants to Chicago in recent months, the Chicago City Council's decision to allocate a $51 million budget amendment for immigrant aid has ignited both support and contention, according to Courthouse News Service. The vote of 34-13 in favor of the amendment comes after heated discussions over resource allocation and racial dynamics within the city with outspoken leaders from the city’s black community seeking answers on why the undocumented are receiving preferential treatment. 

"How dare this mayor and City Council have the guts to give migrants $51 million dollars?" Andre Smith said, according to Courthouse News Service. "I demand you to have the same passion and urgency to pass a city of Chicago reparations ordinance. And also to give us an office for Black Americans just like [the Office of] New Americans. We didn't have the luxury or the opportunity to cross the border. We didn't have the privilege to cross the border. We came over here... in the bottom of ships." 

While the funds are intended to provide temporary support for over 10,000 immigrants, debates have escalated over the perceived balance between immigrant aid and investment in underserved neighborhoods, amplifying long-standing tensions around race and public spending, Courthouse News Service reported.