As the City Council prepared for a final vote on the funding proposal set for Friday, the tension underscored the broader fiscal challenges facing Chicago. In addition to the controversial $70 million, the city had previously earmarked $150 million for illegal immigrants in its 2024 budget. Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson acknowledged that even this staggering amount would suffice only for the first quarter of the year.
Chicago’s Budget Director Annette Guzman explained that the $70 million would be drawn from the city’s assigned fund balance from 2022, designated for unforeseen needs to support new arrivals. This decision comes as Chicago reports a looming deficit of $1.5 billion in 2024 and $1.9 billion in 2025, complicating the financial outlook.
Mayor Johnson has attributed the financial strain partly to the federal government’s failure to support asylum-seekers adequately. This claim comes as over 39,000 new arrivals have entered Chicago since August 2022, per the city’s “New Arrivals Situational Dashboard.”
Amidst these fiscal and political pressures, Easley’s rallying cry for a change in leadership resonated with many. She advocated for the return of Donald John Trump Sr. as president, praising his policies aimed at securing the southern border and addressing the issues of human and drug trafficking affecting Chicago. “He’s the only president who has a plan to close the southern border, which is going to cut off the pipeline of human and drug trafficking that’s flooding the West side of Chicago, and we cannot wait to get you back in office. Mr. President, please come see us in Chicago,” she implored.
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The controversy has even spurred initiatives to amend Illinois law to allow city mayoral recalls — a move signaling growing discontent with current leadership. This sentiment is starkly contrasted with city officials’ decisions to prioritize immigrant support over addressing chronic urban issues like crime, education, and the opioid crisis.
