Machesney Park, IL – On Wednesday May 29th, 2024 the Illinois General Assembly passed the largest spending plan in State history totally $53.1 Billion.
One of my major concerns with this budget is the amount of money goes towards the illegal immigration crisis. Sadly, rather than preventing these individuals from coming to our state, we are welcoming them in with open arms and the taxpayer is on the hook to pay for it. This budget spends nearly $1 billion on migrant, non citizen, and refugee spending – a figure 3x more than what we spend on veterans.
Here is a complete breakdown on the costs the Illinois tax payer is incurring because of Governor Pritzker and the Democrats partisan budget:
Illegal Immigrant Spending in FY2025 Budget
The FY25 budget provides emergency funding to support the response co-designed in partnership with the City of Chicago, and Cook County for thousands of asylum seekers arriving in Illinois. Additionally, the budget includes money towards healthcare for noncitizens.
- Deposits $430 million in FY24 surplus revenues into the Healthcare Provider Relief Fund for fund the HBIA/HBIS program in FY25.
- Removes the GRF deposit of $440 million into the Healthcare Provider Relief Fund for the Health Benefits for Immigrant Adults and Seniors program that was in the FY25 proposed budget.
- $139.4 million in GRF for Welcoming Centers, which is an increase of $84.4 million (153.5%) compared to FY24 and equal to the Governor’s FY25 proposed budget.
- Additionally, there is a FY24 supplemental appropriation of $80 million in GRF to Welcoming Centers.
- $290.3 million in GRF to Home Illinois which is an increase of $90 million (44.9%) compared to FY24 and an increase of $40 million (15.9%) compared to the Governor’s FY25 proposed budget.
- A new $1 million line for the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights (This is the main organization pushing noncitizen funding).
Children regardless of immigration status also have access to services such as daycares, preschools, and home visiting services. The FY25 budget includes the following major expansions to the child care system:
- $122 million in new GRF for grants associated with SMART Start, which is equal to the Governor’s FY25 proposed budget.
- $14 million in GRF to fund the creation of the new Department of Early Childhood. This includes $10 million to DHS and $4 million to the Department of Early Childhood.
- $2.29 billion in federal funding to the Child Care Assistance Program, which is an increase of $100 million (4.6%) compared to FY24 and equal to the Governor’s FY25 proposed budget.