Lake County Gazette

The majority of Lake County's municipalities did not respond to a request for information on whether they would accept funding for the resettlement of undocumented immigrants. The municipalities were queried about their contact with state officials or General Assembly members regarding such funding, their anticipation of using such funding, and their community's position on the permanent resettlement of migrants.

The municipalities that failed to respond to requests from Lake County Gazette include Buffalo Grove, Barrington, Barrington Hills, Waukegan, Mundelein, North Chicago, Gurnee, Highland Park, Round Lake Beach, Vernon Hills, Zion, Grayslake, Libertyville, Lake Zurich, Lake Forest, Round Lake, Antioch, Lindenhurst, Beach Park, Wauconda, Hawthorn Woods, Lake Villa, Long Grove, Lincolnshire, Park City, Round Lake Park, Winthrop Harbor, Volo, Lake Bluff, Lake Barrington, Highwood, Green Oaks, Kildeer, Hainesville, Wadsworth, North Barrington, Round Lake Heights, Tower Lakes, Third Lake, Bannockburn, Indian Creek, Mettawa, Old Mill Creek, Deer Park, Algonquin, Huntley, Lakemoor, Fox River Grove and Port Barrington.

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

Among the municipalities that responded was Deerfield. Officials from Deerfield, under the leadership of Mayor Daniel C. Shapiro, indicated that they are closely observing the crisis surrounding illegal immigration in light of recent disclosures about state grants for migrant resettlement. David Fitzgerald-Sullivan, Communications Coordinator, highlighted that Mayor Shapiro has not received any communication about such funding from either the state or Deerfield’s state representatives or senators. He assured that they remain watchful as the situation progresses.

“Mayor Daniel C. Shapiro reports that he has not received contact about such fund from the state or Deerfield’s state representative or senator. He continues to monitor the situation,” Fitzgerald-Sullivan told Lake County Gazette.

Riverwoods Mayor Kristine Ford stated that her village has not been approached by state officials concerning funding for migrant resettlement and they have not considered pursuing such funds. Furthermore, Riverwoods has yet to take a position on the permanent resettlement of migrants due to concerns over the impact of illegal immigration on their community.

The Metropolitan Mayors Caucus is encouraging suburban communities to accept funds linked to the resettlement of undocumented immigrants within their communities. According to its website, this caucus comprises several entities including 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.

As per the caucus's website, it invited applications for $11 million in grants under Supporting Municipalities for Asylum Seeker Services (SMASS), intended to assist undocumented immigrants in Illinois. This round of funding was labeled "Round II". The Metropolitan Mayors Caucus will supervise the distribution of these funds through a Request for Information process, with eligibility extended to municipal governments willing to receive asylum seekers. Furthermore, leading municipalities can partner with other governmental bodies and organizations as subgrantee partners.

The call for funding applications came after Governor J.B. Pritzker announced the availability of these funds. Governor Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Human Services declared an additional $17 million in funding for municipalities in response to over 38,000 new arrivals sent to Illinois from Texas since 2022. According to a press release, these funds aim to strengthen capacity in municipalities outside of Chicago by providing direct services such as temporary shelter, emergency triage, legal assistance, health screenings and more. The $11 million round of SMASS funds was exclusively available to municipalities outside of Chicago and facilitated by the Metropolitan Mayors Caucus through a competitive solicitation process. Additionally, $6 million of this 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.