The governor and Cook County announced they are committing more than $250 million in additional funding to the migrant crisis amid over 35,000 migrants that have arrived in Illinois.
Pritzker and Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle announced the joint funding plan on Thursday to help pay for shelter, wraparound services and healthcare for migrants sent to the area from the Texas border.
Government officials said they concluded that an additional estimated $321 million is needed to maintain shelter and services this calendar year on top of previous funding.
Pritzker and Preckwinkle said they are pledging a combined investment of over $250 million to help close the gap.
In November, Illinois committed an additional $160 million to the asylum seeker response to invest in “welcome, shelter, and independence.”
That commitment was in addition to the $478 million the state has spent since the start of the migrant response.
As part of the joint funding plan, the state is pledging an additional $182 million, which will be part of the governor’s upcoming fiscal year 2025 budget proposal to the General Assembly.
“With thousands of asylum seekers continuing to come to Chicago in desperate need of support and with Congress continuing to refuse to act—it is clear the state, county, and city will have to do more to keep people safe,” Pritzker said.
“I’m thankful to President Preckwinkle for working with us to help close this budget gap and maintain critical services in the year ahead,” he added.
More than 35,000 asylum seekers have been dropped off in Chicago and surrounding suburbs over the last year and a half, officials said.
“As critical funding for this ongoing humanitarian crisis stalls in Congress, Cook County stands committed to the well-being of the region,” Preckwinkle said.
“We cannot wait for additional resources and Cook County is proud to stand alongside Governor Pritzker in this joint funding plan, ensuring that shelter capacity, healthcare and wraparound services remain accessible to those in need,” she added.