By: Ted Dabrowski and John Klingner
Many Chicagoans are outraged that city and state officials are prioritizing a growing number of illegal immigrants over residents and their communities.
Not only do these Chicagoans feel their safety is being compromised, they see attention and services being directed to non-citizens – “exactly the kind of services South Side residents say they have begged for and been denied.” City and state officials will spend over $1.1 billion for Medicaid benefits and at least another $280 million on shelter and housing for illegals.
Struggling Chicagoans are right to protest the city’s “sanctuary” designation. Chicago is already failing dramatically to take care of its own citizens.
Nearly one in every five Chicago residents lives in poverty. Crime continues to jump even as the pandemic and George Floyd’s murder become more distant. The city’s public schools fail to educate children. Jobs are hard to come by for too many minorities. And the city can’t even afford the social programs it already has in place.
By encouraging an influx of people the city can’t handle, Chicago’s politicians are making the overall situation for everyone worse off.
Here are four major reasons why they should focus on the city’s own crises first before taking on the problems of other countries:
1. Chicago can’t take care of its own poor.
Nearly 450,000 of Chicago’s residents, or just over 17%, live below the poverty line – $27,479 for a family of four in 2021. Chicago has the 8th-worst poverty rate among the nation’s most populous cities and its status as a sanctuary city may guarantee that the already-bad ranking gets worse.
At its core, Chicago’s poverty crisis is the result of broken families – absent fathers and births to single moms. Over half of all Hispanic births and more than 80% of black births in Chicago are to single mothers. As Wirepoints has already covered comprehensively, that dynamic contributes to lower-income and crime-prone communities.
2. Chicago can’t protect its own citizens from crime.
Chicagoans suffered nearly 700 murders in 2022, the most of any city nationwide. Overall, Chicago has held the embarrassing title of the nation’s murder capital for 11 years running.
It’s not just homicides. Reported major criminal incidents jumped by a total of 20,000 in 2022, a dramatic 41% increase over 2021.
And year-to-date 2023, crime is up another 43% with no signs of slowing down. Theft is up 20%, robbery 17%, and motor vehicle thefts, a whopping 130%.
Chicago’s police forces are also overstretched to the point they often can’t react to emergencies. In 2021, more than half – or more than 400,000 – of all “high-priority” emergency calls (for shootings, stabbings, domestic violence, etc.) had no police available to respond to them.
3. Chicago can’t educate its children.
Just 20 of every 100 Chicago Public School students could read at grade level in 2022 and in math, only 16 of every 100 were proficient in math.
Results are even worse for the city’s black students. Just 11% and 6% were at grade level in reading and math, respectively. Hispanics scored only a bit better.
That, despite the fact that Chicago already spends nearly $30,000 per student (all-in cost).
4. Chicago makes it hard for its low-income residents to find jobs.
Chicago had the highest black unemployment rate among the nation’s 20 biggest cities in 2021, according to the most recently available Census Bureau data. Nearly 20% of working-age black Chicagoans were jobless that year.*
It’s not surprising to see Chicago lagging the rest of the country. The city’s job-unfriendly environment is reflected in its loss of flagship companies. Big corporate names like Citadel, Boeing and Tyson have moved their HQ’s out of the area. And in Chicago’s low-income communities, Walmart is closing stores in the city.
Crime and taxes are two often-cited reasons for departure. On top of facing the crime rate mentioned above, Chicago businesses are burdened with the 2nd-highest property taxes among the nation’s big cities.
Restoring Chicago
Increased illegal migration is only going to make each one of those above issues worse.
The city and state were already in financial crisis before the new immigrant wave, and the federal Covid money that covered the problem is now drying up, so Chicago will struggle harder to pay for its out-of-control retirement costs, its social programs, and now, its migrant support.
Those Chicagoans protesting the inflow know they’re the ones who will have to pay the price for the city’s sanctuary status – whether through tax hikes, service cuts, lost opportunities, increased crime, or all of the above.
*For comparison, the city’s black unemployment rate was 12% in pre-pandemic 2019, the 2nd-worst of any big city besides Philadelphia’s 12.1%.
Read more from Wirepoints:
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If this bill passes, say goodbye to local control over all Illinois parks and expect to see open drug and alcohol use, needles, no sanitation and fire hazards, but no ordinary park users.
The masters of deception put a title/label on something they shouldn’t be doing and try to create a picture in the minds of the unsuspecting that is often false!. In this case, “Sanctuary” by(one of several) dictionary definitions is described as providing comfort & assistance to “immigrants” & their family members who are at risk of apprehension by federal immigration authorities or, mistreatment by others”. In simple but accurate response, these people are criminals breaking our laws which have a very important reason attached for being established which to do with our legal status and protection afforded us deemed necessary… Read more »
So is there a policy draft to end Black single mother births?
I just at a loss for words with this article.
I couldn’t agree with you more. There are so many LEGAL citizens and residents in need HERE. Why do THEY not come FIRST before asylum seekers.
And speaking of “asylum” seekers. ASYLUM should be reserved for those proving persecution, not simply those looking for a better life because there are few opportunities where they live.
When will everyone south of the border demand they want statehood?
I’m a black man, and I don’t feel sorry for them. I live in Central FL suburbs and I vote red. The vast majority of them voted democrat and will continue to vote democrat even after the invasion of their city. I use to be a democrat, and then I grew up. All democrats do, is call everyone racist, and rant on and on about “reoperations”, (something we aren’t getting).They use emotional talking points to keep the black vote, and then they forget about us for 3 1/2 years until the following election and say the same old punchline with… Read more »
You’re 100% right!! And for $30,000 a head for school students. Why not hire and train single moms and pay them $90,000 a year to educate 3 students in a public area, because the students aren’t learning at all now. For all the money they’ve spent on illegals so far. Could have built high rises with efficiency apartments for locals. Or bought the hotels and made them housing for locals.it’s scary how much money is just thrown away, because when it’s not their money it’s easy to do. $300 per night per hotel room for illegals. My lord. That could… Read more »
Shouting down City planners is as MAGA and red as it gets. If you keep looking for reasons not to get involved and fight back, your neighborhood is next. I watched the video of the event. It had nothing to do with handouts or racism. These folks are defending their neighborhood because the City is trying to revoke a contract and dump migrants in it. You’re the one calling everyone racist and using emotional talking points.
You don’t understand – they’re just trying to hold their own tribe accountable. It’s not like they’ll start voting Republican over this.
Nice to see a thoughtful, rational argument from a different perspective. So many feel that it’s just whites that are upset with this mess, when in reality it impacts all of us. And thanks for “ I used to be a Democrat then I grew up “!.
If there are 5 million coming across the border this year shouldn’t every state be required to take in roughly 100000 people this year. Seems like they need to take in a lot more or is that for other states? Besides they voted for it, embrace your decision live the life.you asked for.
I have a very strong suspicion that a lot of black voters are in for a shock. If things continue as they are, black people are not going to just be a minority, but they are going to be perhaps the smallest minority of the group. Their influence has only mattered because democrats have needed them in large proportion to win races. That may not hold true in the future if Latino voters outnumber them which could easily happen. More so if Latino’s see their interests diverging from those of black people, which could also easily happen. Liable to see… Read more »
And, while I don’t want to overgeneralize, hispanics are far less accepting of blacks than whites. As they ascend up the food chain in American, I don’t expect them to view St. George Floyd in the same way that liberal whites do.
I’m black and I vote Red. I live in Central Florida in the suburbs. Fortunately I won’t be affected by illegals. Your vote has consequences. You couldn’t pay me to live in a Large democrat ran city.
Eventually people will flee the cities and leave the cities gasping for tax dollars, because right now. They’re using our tax dollars to pay all the illegals needs, but the illegals we well surpass the amount of taxes we already get robbed form us and there will not be enough people to keep the sanctuary cities afloat and they’ll turn into third world cities and I hope they save some money to build huge walls around them so they don’t come for our places we built up beautifully with our hard work. It’s starting to scare me our country is… Read more »
The only change needs to be the politicians.
the real problem is that the ones who promote , enact and defend those policies are not exposed to or confronted with the consequences of their policies !
they life in gated communities or neighborhoods where a house cost so much that the average citizen can never afford it , they have armed security and chicago PD patrols their neighborhoods at a much higher rate than any other one. Their kids go to private schools and they can afford the best medical care so why should they care ?
The people of chicago had a choice in the last election , they picked the mayor that will deliver more of the same so dont expect any change anytime soon
But sanctuary status signals so much virtue. Whatever the costs to citizens monetary and otherwise is worth it. It is all about feelings!
The burbs is full of illegas too.
Biden will bail Chicago out with respect to spending money on illegal immigrants.
Trump won’t.
Mayor Root Causes Johnson today created a new position, deputy mayor for immigrants, migrants and refugee rights. So no, I don’t see Chicago dropping their Sanctuary City status. On the other hand Chicago then can remain a nice destination for Governor Abbott to keep sending those who want to come here!
Stop living in denial chicago! Get rid of sanctuary status and the illegals!
These are four very logical and rational reasons to eliminate the criminal illegal immigrant “sanctuary city” garbage. But logic and reason have no place in the virtue signaling liberal progressive mind.
Liberals are vastly outnumbered. Not even Gallup can spin this one in their favor.
Yet they win elections. And they do it over and over again.
Mail in ballots have consequences.
Mail in ballots in IL turned several hundred thousand lazy Democrat general election voters into reliable midterm term harvested/counted ballots. It’s undeniable that’s where JB’s additional 700,000 voters over any other gubernatorial candidate in history came from. The state’s population is declining and more and more people are tuning out politics, yet, Democrat voter engagement is up every election at record levels… Where is the IL GOP doing the same? I get an email from them every so often asking for $$$. Earlier this week they asked me for $17 to take back IL-17. LOL. However spamming me with a… Read more »
If the black community hasn’t figured it out yet, here’s what’s happening. Democrats know they’re losing the black vote because of the way they treat them. They don’t care. They’re just pushing the black community aside and letting illegal Immigrants come in to take their place and to place their vote for them.
I hope they lose the black vote entirely and soon. For the sake of Blacks most of all.
They’ll never lose the black vote because Republicans fundamentally oppose many of the issues blacks support: CRT, expanded healthcare and welfare benefits, affirmative action, affordable housing, funding the police. Sure, there are some issues they agree upon: better schools and more less government interference in their affairs but it’s certainly not enough to ever convince them to vote Republican.
They would never lose the black vote as a majority. I’m black and I vote republican. Most black people are unfortunately stuck on the democrat plantation. They think red means racist and they immediately vote blue again. I live in the suburbs of central Florida so I’m not personally affected.
Everyone in Chicago is equal now. That includes the person who has lived there for 50 years, worked, bought a home and paid their own way. You are now equal to the immigrant getting off the bus today. Your mayor sees no difference between the two of you. He will govern that way. If you have worked your butt off to get where you are today, equality will mean that you have to give half your stuff to the illegal bus rider until you both achieve equity. Are you ready for that?
I somewhat disagree – many long time citizen taxpayers do not have healthcare fully paid for, nor a free smart phone, nor a debit card that can be reloaded, nor NGO’s like Catholic Charities advising them how to game our ‘system’ for more unwarranted benefits.
Yeah, and to think I actually paid my last hotel bill too. Where can I get some help?
Just wait. You must know with Liberals, equity usually only goes one way.
How can Chicago revoke its sanctuary city status?
We need to team up with people and push back. There are a few lawsuits pending right now that are on the front lines. Perhaps contact the people behind them and see what you can do to help. I posted a link to one suit below. There’s one in Evanston too that someone posted a few days ago.
The same way they passed it in the first place. The governing body and probably the mayor revoke the law.
Eric Adams wants to revoke NYC’s ‘sanctuary city’ status amid massive migrant influx | The Post Millennial | thepostmillennial.com
It’s virtuous to declare oneself a sanctuary city and it seems so righteous. Until Texas Gov. Abbott gave Chicago and other cities a dose of reality, the soundbite felt good for the politicians and their supporters, the progressive citizens of Chicago. Now that reality is upon them, they’re whining about the calamity besieging the city. But this is what they wanted! There’s a funny thing about ideology. So many embrace it, but don’t really know much about it. They’re known as useful idiots, a Vladimir Lenin term. And so Chicago embarks on a path of anti-restoration led by its newly… Read more »
So the people who vote for a living don’t like it when others get their free stuff. Poor babies. Perhaps if they started to rely on themselves instead of government, and tossed their “community leaders” to the curb, they would actually start to vote better. Until then, I have no sympathy.
This onslaught of invaders will make it even harder to get healthcare. There are just so many healthcare providers and when you bring a whole new population on line, well, you can do the math.
If communities consider themselves ‘underserved’ right now, they ain’t seen nothing yet.
The trick to getting good health care will be to travel to hospitals/practices areas nowhere near illegal immigrants. That new Lake Forest Hospital is pretty well protected, no illegal immigrants will be driving out there to get their care.
You’re projecting, making assumptions, and falling for classic stereotypes! Why not give South Shore residents, NOT ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS, the benefit of the doubt? Who says they don’t rely on themselves? I’m pretty confident you don’t know anybody in the picture and weren’t there.
*Edited for clarity.
If they’re so self reliant, why is NYC mayor Adams’ hair on fire complaining about insufficient resources for them? They should be able to maneuver the public transit system, rent an apartment, start a new job, find the nearest grocery store, right?
Eric Adams?? This article is about Chicago, specifically a group that shouted down local party leaders and waved MAGA signs for trying to repurpose an old school in their community.
Replace Adams with Lightfoot. Nothing I said is different city to city. And if you think that group photo was a bunch of MAGA supporters, you might check in with Jussie Smollett first before holding firm to that theory.
I can’t think of anything more MAGA than shouting down a bunch of dishonest city planners. LOL
https://notthebee.com/article/as-the-nation-prepares-for-more-than-10000-new-illegal-border-crossings-daily-check-out-the-freak-out-from-this-chicago-neighborhood-over-housing-250-illegals
‘Nuff said.
Self reliant or not they are criminals. Deport their criminal a$$es out of the US as fast as possible. If they return then toss them into prison. Period. I love immigrants. Legal immigrants.
I recently heard a Biden hack say we have to make it possible for immigrants to enter our country legally? WTH?
Immigrants have been entering our country LEGALLY for at least 110 years since my forebears stepped off the boat.
This INVASION is the Progressive agenda to fundamentally change our country.
Citizenship will mean nothing by the time they’re done.
Send ’em ALL back and change the law that grants citizenship to any baby born on U.S. soil. What responsible country allows anchor babies?? Ridiculous!
A country without borders is not a sovereign country.
What???? I’m talking about all the South Shore folks that are against this mess!
South Shore residents recently filed a lawsuit to prevent a local building from being repurposed into a migrant center. Legal USA South Shore residents don’t want migrants here either. They don’t want migrants in their neighborhood. They shouted down city planners at a recent meeting for the same reasons everyone here is mentioning.
You should support them and push back instead of making excuses. They are fighting on the front lines for this right now.
*Edited for clarity.
Sorry, but no tears for people that voted for Rahm ( who closed the schools with the promise to turn them into community centers) and Lori ( who took not one step in that direction). Throw in the squawking about “ who gonna take care of us now?”and fill Chicago with illegals. Elections have consequences.
Your town is next after they destroy Chicago.
Has yet to be declared a “ sanctuary city “ and highly unlikely that it will do so.
Dave Hardy – while I agree in not making blithe assumptions, there is little doubt that social programs and other redistribution programs have been key to the capture by the Democratic Party of the black community. Post WW 2 social programs tipped the tide towards the Democrats, who, until the Great Society, was the party of segregation and Jim Crow – an ugly history overcome by redistribution of income programs. This is not to say that people don’t generally rely on themselves but that some do have much heavier reliance on government programs. And to the extent that the people… Read more »
You are making a blithe assumption! Social programs have nothing to do with a shouting match at a community meeting related to a breach of contract. There’s a clear objective here: NO ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION! Video from the event indicated that most were rational and put forth logical arguments, none of which had anything to do with free stuff or social programs! Why do I feel like I have to keep repeating this? Most of Chicago doesn’t want to be a sanctuary city, and there’s no amount of over typing you can do to lead people astray from that fact. Furthermore,… Read more »
The only way to stop illegal immigration is to put troops at the border to defend it. And Joe Biden is responsible for that. And he’s not doing that. He’s actually coordinating with the mexican government with somethign called the asylum app to bus them in. He’s shipping them around the country, many of them don’t even have the court date. There’s nothing anyone can do to stop Biden. Elections have consequences. You understand, the Democrats are doing this for one reason: They expect a Democrat majority to grant them all amnesty within the next decade or two and they… Read more »
The Democrat/progressive leaders of our city and state know that despite the outcry from the Black community about illegal immigration and its devastating effect on that community, Blacks will, in large numbers, continue to vote for the Democrat/progressives. Illegal immigrants, beholden to that political party, will also vote for them. They will, more than ever, have total control of the city. See what happens to your taxes and city services (e.g. police protection) then ! Dare we ever hope that the Black community will awaken and realize that the Democrats hold them in a slavery more insidious than the white master ever… Read more »
Not being discussed is that many, many of the illegals coming over what used to be our southern border are in their first trimester – they are carrying ‘anchor babies’ for added ‘insurance’ and greater public aid. Do the math.
Many of them are becoming pregnant along the way. There are horrible, horrible stories of what the coyotes, or just other migrants, are doing to women along the way. The compassionate position is to stop all illegal immigration immediately. Stop the horrible crimes being committed to these women along the way.
It’s been documented for some time the Biden WH is actively engaged in promoting human trafficking, which is much more profitable for the Cartels than drugs. No one in authority seems to care much, and the Catholic Church pretends it doesn’t exist.
Like This.
https://cis.org/Bensman/United-Nations-Hand-Out-Hundreds-Millions-Cash-USBound-Immigrants-2023
Ah, proof that Biden is a ‘devout Catholic.’
Yes, and I’m the queen of England.
Did you see the “Build The Wall 2024” sign from the black guy in the photo? There were almost a thousand people marching against violence and radicalism a few weeks ago.
We have seen marches, vigils, and signs being held up for decades. Yet nothing changes. Things will change only when people make different choices in their own lives.
Foxy, it has baffled me my entire life that blacks vote against the party that freed them and vote for the party of Jim Crow, segregation and now the party that imports those who will displace them from their jobs and eventually their homes. Why?
Who says we’re not witnessing a paradigm shift? Folks here could be more welcoming! A comment above labeled the people in the photo “useful idiots,” and another one labeled them “the people that vote for free stuff.” That’s not exactly motivating people to switch parties. This is an opportunity for the Republican Party. Instead, we’re getting a chat full of pessimism and cynics urging people to disregard their own eyes and common sense. The people in this photo, THE LEGAL SOUTH SHORE RESIDENTS AGAINST A MIGRANT CENTER IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD, recently filed a lawsuit, and everyone here should get behind… Read more »
Unfortunately, they don’t see this as an opportunity for the Republican Party. They see this as an opportunity to try and hold their leaders accountable. They will not succeed, and next election, they’ll vote Democrat 97:3 again. I personally don’t believe that they a reachable or persuadable group of voters because they disagree with their party leadership on one particular issue. I know others believe differently, Prez Candidate Vivek right now is onthe south side of chicago trying to convince voters.
Did you see the educational attainment statistics for blacks in the article. Something like only 20% can read at grade level. They are basically illiterate. Democracy requires an educated populace and Chicago doesn’t have one. That is deliberate on the part of Democrats. Very few blacks even know that the Democrats were the party of slavery, Jim Crow and segregation.
I’ll give you 1 reason why it’ll continue. It’s the Dems plan to replace you and your progeny. They really don’t want us around except for our taxes.
Dems expect that within the next decade, or two, there will again be a Democrat majority in the senate, house and presidency, and they will get rid of the filibuster and pack the supreme court. They will grant amnesty to tens of millions of illegal immigrants and give them a permanent democrat majority for 100 years. They will make CRT/DIE/LGBTQIAP+ the law of the land, and if possible, amend the constitution, if they can change the demographics of 3/4ths of all states to have Democrat majorities in their legislatures. It will like south africa except that I fully expect some… Read more »
A movement called the Convention of States has been underway for a few years. They have succeeded in winning over 20 states to call a constitutional convention with the goal of limiting government, establishing term limits and demanding balanced budgets. They need to win over 14 more states, but I think they’ll run out of time if you’re right, and I think you are.
I’ve heard about that but winning over 14 more states will be tough. Only one state governorship flipped parties this last election – Nevada went from Blue to Red. Kind of hard to flip states these days.
One thing you’ll learn about debtsor is that his assessments are always wrong. A month ago, he was posting everywhere that minorities always vote democrat no matter what. Instead of calling a black guy with a “Build The Wall 2024” sign a Trump supporter, Republican or libertarian, he’s branded him a racist to compensate for his errors.
Elsewhere here you accused someone of projecting and making assumptions, and now you’re doing it. No value in personal attacks . . . Let’s remain civil.
I’m not projecting or making assumptions. His opinions are always wrong. Here’s one of his greatest hits. You can’t take someone seriously that claims racism can explain every Democrat position.
“His opinions are always wrong.” I imagine that’s true if you’re measuring by your own standards, but, after all, they’re only your standards. Mama told me to never say never and never say always.
What did she say about every? As in “every” Democrat position?
Dave, I’m merely employing the Democrats own logic to their own behavior. Racists refuse to accept new illegals. Antiracist accept illegals and beg for more. But you’re delusional if you think they’ll switch their century long party allegiance to Trump in 2024 over several hundred illegal immigrants. They haven’t even begun to try to hold their own party leaders accountable first, and that’s what they appear to be doing now – demanding the Democrat Party respond to their concerns. Like I said before, wake me up when the Republican Party breaks through the single digit barrier in South Shore ,… Read more »
Like I said, Democrats have been the party of racism since it was first founded by Racist Thomas Jefferson, the man with two good ideas in his lifetime, and spent the rest of his life on this planet owning other human beings. Democrats have always been the party of slavery, Confederacy, anti-reconstruction, Jim Crow, the KKK, separate but equal, segregation, antisemitism and now, affirmative action, CRT, DIE and anti-racism. Nothing has changed with this party in 200 years. In a two party system, the Democrat Party has always represented the dark side of human nature, and it attracts the worst… Read more »
Keep in mind my belief that racism explains every Democrat position USES THE EXACT SAME PHILOSOPHICAL THEORIES they use with their theory of critical consciousness aka critical race theory aka intersectionality aka woke. The theory goes, through deconstruction, that every relationship in society is predicated on an oppressor and an oppressed, and that every rule, every institution, every law is designed to further exploit and oppress outgroups. There’s an essay from 1989 called White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack where a crazy white liberal lady complains that her life is too easy, and black people have it too harsh, through… Read more »
debtsor: good post, because the scenario you predict is exactly possible, probable and to many, delightful. Illegals will be forever grateful, forever pliable, and Dems in power will forever be thankful for the means to put a “legal and loving” facade over it all.
And to vilify as the “ biggest threat to American safety “, which blows up in their dumb faces when footage surfaces and we see whom is doing what.
Replace ‘can’t’ with ‘won’t’. The virtue signaling for politics by Obama, Emanuel, Pritzker, Lightfoot, Johnson and the other Leftist Democrats comes with a heavy price for those of us who must live in the real world. Leftist Democrats won’t change – this is about their ideology. Like their continuing to wear masks.
Yep, exactly correct.
The citizen isn’t guaranteed sanctuary in our own country. Why does our corrupt government pretend to offer it to non citizens.
End the insanity. Build refugee camps.
We confined law-abiding Japanese in internment camps, but now offer hotel rooms, food, clothing, education, healthcare, and, probably sooner rather than later, voting rights and citizenship to people who violate our laws.
I feel like we’re living Superman’s Bizzaro World.
Stupid Chickens!