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Pritzker to Biden: ‘It is time for the federal government to take a much more active role in managing the transport and destination of the transport of asylum seekers’

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Illinois

October 2, 2023

President Biden,

In the 13 months since the first bus of asylum seekers arrived in Illinois from the border, our state has undertaken an unprecedented humanitarian response to the arrival of now over 15,000 people. Governors and mayors from border states have shipped people to our state like cargo in a dehumanizing attempt to score political points. The people of Illinois are kind and generous. We believe in the fundamental right of every human, especially those facing persecution, to find refuge and live with dignity in this great country of ours.

But as the numbers being transported to Chicago are accelerating, the humanitarian crisis is overwhelming our ability to provide aid to the refugee population. Unfortunately, the welcome and aid Illinois has been providing to these asylum seekers has not been matched with support by the federal government. Most critically, the federal government’s lack of intervention and coordination at the border has created an untenable situation for Illinois.

On top of the 15,000 that have arrived in Chicago and Illinois over the last 13 months, we are now seeing busloads more migrants at increasingly higher rates being sent specifically to Chicago each day. Our state government has been forced to dedicate over $330 million to provide humanitarian aid — and that amount is increasing each day. That’s a massive amount of money for a state still overcoming the health and economic effects of COVID-19. Add to that the over $100 million the city of Chicago contributed. Though we have found temporary housing in existing buildings for a majority of the refugees, we are challenged to find additional housing for the continuous flow of people who keep coming and are now forced to sleep in police stations and on sidewalks. This situation is untenable and requires your immediate help beyond the coming work authorizations for some of the asylum seekers.

There is much more that can and must be done on a federal level to address a national humanitarian crisis that is currently being shouldered by state and local governments without support.

First and foremost, I recommend that there be one person in the federal government who works directly for you in the White House who can lead the oversight of our nation’s efforts at the border. Right now, we have too many different federal department contacts — who are uncoordinated with one another — that handle various programs related to this humanitarian crisis. A single office with an identified leader must be assigned to work for the cities and states across the silos of government to manage the challenges we all face.

For my state which has been targeted with busloads of asylum seekers by the border politicians seeking to increase the partisan divide, this crisis has strained the already stretched human services network we have attempted to rebuild in our recovery from the pandemic. As just one state in our union, we cannot lead coordination efforts at the border. It is time for the federal government to take a much more active role in managing the transport and destination of the transport of asylum seekers. Our nation is large and resourceful. Allowing just one state to lay the burden upon a certain few states run by Democrats is untenable. We are a nation that has welcomed immigrants and refugees since our founding, and we have done so in a bipartisan manner. It cannot be that just a few cities and states should now bear the cost of this effort alone.

Below is a list of specific requests to address this crisis without further delay. These actions include:

• Waive fees for TPS applications

o I’m grateful that you have listened to some of the requests other governors and I have made over these many months. As you know, I remain deeply concerned that the high cost of applying for TPS is yet another obstacle for the population we have in Illinois. I urge you once again to waive those fees for those who cannot afford them and just want to be able to work and build a better life

• Significant increases in logistical coordination and data collection

o The federal government must take over the interior coordination of routing buses of newly arrived migrants across the country and oversee communication between states, so they are aware of who is arriving and when. The federal government must stop abdicating responsibility once CBP releases migrants into the interior of the country. Your administration has the capacity, resources and legal recourse to do this right now.
o Currently, very little data is being made available to states on the migrants arriving in the country, making legal applications for asylum, extended parole, etc. difficult for advocates and government workers. There is no reason that the United States federal government should be unable to collect and share simple data on people presenting themselves at our border. Sending federal staff to Illinois and other affected states to provide data analytics and on the ground coordination between local city, state and federal agencies would massively streamline these processes.
o Specifically, I am calling for a federal coordinator and task force based at the border that are solely dedicated to migrant coordination and resettlement.

• Provide financial support to states, local governments, and NGOs for temporary housing, food and social services.

o The Biden administration has provided modest funding to Illinois through FEMA’s Emergency Food and Shelter Program and the Shelter and Services Program, which we are thankful for. However, this funding is not nearly enough to close the gap between what the state is able to provide and what is needed to address concerns. The burden of funding the state and city have taken on is not sustainable only by our budgets.
o

• Further accelerate the timeline for employment authorization

o While Illinois was among the many states thrilled to learn of the Administration’s
new TPS rule for Venezuelans, it is our understanding that a large population of these newly TPS eligible individuals will potentially wait upwards of six-months to have their work authorizations processed and confirmed. We ask that the White House and the Administration continue to look for ways to “cut the red tape” and speed up the work authorization process by all means necessary including instituting a mass blanket fee waiver.
o Unfortunately, Congress has long failed to provide the comprehensive immigration reform and funding resources necessary to tackle our nation’s immigration issues. And with the Republican Conference currently fixated on deep, painful cuts to the federal budget, the chances of the hoped-for and much-needed financial aid seems slim to none. Which is why I urge you, President Biden, to look beyond the small set of programs that states and local governments can currently tap into for migrant- related response efforts and find additional federal dollars that can be sent to places, like Illinois, that are carrying out for our entire nation the obligations to care for the “huddled masses yearning to be free” who are so desperately in need of assistance.

• Approve Illinois’ requests for Medicaid waivers, housing vouchers, and federal coordination and support

Today, Illinois stands mostly unsupported against this enormous strain on our state resources. Mr. President, I urge you, Secretary Mayorkas, and the rest of your administration to take swift action and intervene on our behalf and on behalf of the other affected states and their residents, as well as on behalf of the tens of thousands of asylum seekers who undertook a dangerous and difficult journey in hopes of attaining public safety and forging a better life for themselves and their families.

Sincerely,
Governor JB Pritzker

posted by Rich Miller
Monday, Oct 2, 23 @ 1:52 pm

Comments

Ain’t this ironic.

Comment by spoon Monday, Oct 2, 23 @ 1:56 pm
First, I am a huge fan of the Governor; second, he needs a thesaurus to look up another word for untenable. Third NY might have a beef too. On the merits, he’s right. The crisis needs to be viewed as a short to medium term challenge. In the end, these folks will become valuable members of society like every immigrant group that came before them.

Comment by What's in a name? Monday, Oct 2, 23 @ 2:01 pm
The irony: Biden is avoiding making any serious decisions about this issue because his reelection. In avoiding the issue, he is in fact making it worse and opens himself to criticism about not taking a leadership role on this.

We can’t wait until after next November for him to step up.

Comment by NIU Grad Monday, Oct 2, 23 @ 2:01 pm
Also: We can’t fully blame Texas when the Feds are footing the bill and not providing any resources for anything that isn’t bussing and plane tickets.

Comment by NIU Grad Monday, Oct 2, 23 @ 2:02 pm
I would add the feds making asylum seekers incapable of providing for themselves and their family via work.

It’s “untenable” to allow people here under those circumstances. They should be handed a temp work permit at the border.

Comment by P. Monday, Oct 2, 23 @ 2:06 pm
I would have toned it down even more. I do not think the feds can outlaw what Texas is doing absent new laws from Congress. Is this Resettlement Coordinator supposed to decide where migrants go after CBP releases them? That is going to have its own political risks.

Comment by Three Dimensional Checkers Monday, Oct 2, 23 @ 2:12 pm
I wonder if this was/is Governor Abbotts point in doing this (the message in Gov Pritzker’s letter).

And if so, his method is deplorable.

But its a genius political move on his part.

Comment by Jerry Monday, Oct 2, 23 @ 2:14 pm
=== I do not think the feds can outlaw what Texas is doing===

Is that in the letter?

Comment by Rich Miller Monday, Oct 2, 23 @ 2:17 pm
thanks for stepping up with ideas, Gov. isn’t the VP supposed to be coordinating this? I’m silent in the face of my Dem pals most of whom who think Harris is some policy genius. What I want to say is that she is a huge failure and a liability on this issue for this election. there is not just ire from folks who are straight up haters. there is ire from those who don’t see the issue being managed. on this issue alone the electability of the ticket is vulnerable. fix. listen to the Gov and do lots on this. AND you will be helping those in need.

Comment by Amalia Monday, Oct 2, 23 @ 2:20 pm
===Is that in the letter?===

Maybe not in so many words, but what is “the interior coordination of routing buses of newly arrived migrants across the country?” The letter’s author is not a fan of Elements of Style.

Comment by Three Dimensional Checkers Monday, Oct 2, 23 @ 2:24 pm
===Maybe not in so many words, but what is “the interior coordination===

Just what it says. Nothing in there about passing a new law or whatever.

Comment by Rich Miller Monday, Oct 2, 23 @ 2:25 pm
===As just one state in our union, we cannot lead coordination efforts at the border. It is time for the federal government to take a much more active role in managing the transport and destination of the transport of asylum seekers. Our nation is large and resourceful. Allowing just one state to lay the burden upon a certain few states run by Democrats is untenable. We are a nation that has welcomed immigrants and refugees since our founding, and we have done so in a bipartisan manner. It cannot be that just a few cities and states should now bear the cost of this effort alone.===

A very well crafted letter that has just enough politics to show the showmanship of pawns that Republicans feel a need to make human beings, while also acknowledging we as a country need to embrace immigration but coordinate for a greater good, not muck up for pointed political partisanship.

It’s a B letter, solid B

Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Oct 2, 23 @ 2:27 pm
===Just what it says. Nothing in there about passing a new law or whatever.===

People know when the buses get here. It is not a communications problem. It is a the Governor of Texas is immoral problem.

Comment by Three Dimensional Checkers Monday, Oct 2, 23 @ 2:36 pm
=== It is not a communications problem===

Did I say it was?

Comment by Rich Miller Monday, Oct 2, 23 @ 2:40 pm
We want to be “known as a sanctuary State”.. but please don’t send us anyone.

Comment by NotRich Monday, Oct 2, 23 @ 2:42 pm
===but please don’t send us anyone===

Nobody in power is saying that. Your response is a cartoon.

Comment by Rich Miller Monday, Oct 2, 23 @ 2:44 pm
===Did I say it was?===

No, I just don’t know what the ask in the letter is otherwise.

Comment by Three Dimensional Checkers Monday, Oct 2, 23 @ 2:46 pm
===We want to be “known as a sanctuary State”.. but please don’t send us anyone.===

Did you read the letter.

I’m honestly asking.

Your comment (drive by as it is) makes it appear you did not.

Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Oct 2, 23 @ 2:47 pm
==I just don’t know what the ask in the letter is otherwise.==

What? The letter clearly asks for 5 specific things.

Comment by Demoralized Monday, Oct 2, 23 @ 2:48 pm
What Demoralized said. Did you read anything other than the headline?

Comment by Rich Miller Monday, Oct 2, 23 @ 2:50 pm
===The letter clearly asks for 5 specific things.===

So many disingenuous folks, “to own the sanctuary Libs”

No wonder they watch Tee-Vee, I dunno if they can read for comprehension

Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Oct 2, 23 @ 2:51 pm
The bus rides to Chicago, apparently agreed to by the migrants, seems a lot less dehumanizing than what happens at the border and housing people in police stations, an airport, high school gyms etc. Illinois and Chicago need to get their acts together. Sanctuary status is a sacred promise no matter what it costs.

Comment by Ucha Monday, Oct 2, 23 @ 3:28 pm
I wish I could be positive but allowing everyone to apply for amnesty when the federal government runs a $2 trillion a year deficit is a big challenge. If the law isn’t changed, I don’t see why millions more Central Americans don’t apply for amnesty. The resources for housing don’t exist at the state, local , and federal level. There are limits. It’s not fair to migrants to be given court date years away. That isn’t justice.

Comment by Steve Monday, Oct 2, 23 @ 3:52 pm
===when the federal government runs a $2 trillion a year deficit is a big challenge===

Tell me about the Trump tax cuts.

It’s tiring.

Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Oct 2, 23 @ 4:05 pm
===When does the tax payer get their free stuff. I mean you work your entire life, most of what you make goes to the government===

Explain social security, Medicare/Medicaid.

Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Oct 2, 23 @ 4:06 pm
=== most of what you make goes to the government ===

Hyperbole much?

Comment by Hannibal Lecter Monday, Oct 2, 23 @ 4:06 pm
=== most of what you make goes to the government than they spend it for you on people who are here illegally. ===

By the way, the migrants are not here illegally. You need to educate yourself on the issue.

Comment by Hannibal Lecter Monday, Oct 2, 23 @ 4:07 pm
=When does the tax payer get their free stuff.=

How about a football stadium for a privately owned, for-profit corporation?

Comment by Jerry Monday, Oct 2, 23 @ 4:17 pm
==We want to be “known as a sanctuary State”.. but please don’t send us anyone. ==

Seriously? The Texas governor and others who claim this is a “Christian Nation” don’t appear to have understood the person they claim to follow. “I was ahungered, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.” is a pretty clear directive. “Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.” Mt 25: 31-46

This letter is requesting some much needed federal oversight and coordination and fiscal support. As a country, we all need to do our part to help those in need. Unless you are 100% Native American, you are descended from immigrants who needed some sort of assistance when they arrived.

Comment by Pot calling kettle Monday, Oct 2, 23 @ 4:20 pm
I think we already have a Border person from the Fed appointed by Joe. didn’t he appoint Kamala whats her name to handle all this

Comment by Tom Gooch Monday, Oct 2, 23 @ 4:35 pm
===Kamala whats her name===

See, here’s exactly why y’all aren’t serious folks.

You don’t think it’s impactful enough to say the Vice President was “appointed” and apparently failing by your measures.

No.

What has to be done is this incessant thought to besmirch. I mean, I dunno how that makes the point, or the innocence of “forgetting”, but you’d think holding accountable a POTUS because of the VP is winning.

Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Oct 2, 23 @ 4:42 pm
Pritzker is being very naive to think he will affect this open border policy with all its chaos-by-design.

I just reviewed the stats on the cbp gov website regarding yearly and monthly crossings. It’s been going on for 2.5 yrs with these elevated numbers of “refugees.” There will not be any help from the Biden administration. This is their policy.

Pritzker says, “There is no reason that the United States federal government should be unable to collect and share simple data on people presenting themselves at our border.”

Read that twice. (I know. You have to get past the double negative)
Read between the lines.
The city of Chicago is intentionally not being told who’s being dropped off in the city, a city that’s already facing unprecedented criminal activity.

I’m glad most people are figuring out this finally.
It is political suicide.

On a political note— Ramirez (IL3) is on the House Border Security and Enforcement Subcommittee. Maybe she can tell Pritzker why Mayorkas won’t release the data about who’s coming across the border. Yesterday’s press release from her committee makes it sound like Mayorkas is about to be subpoenaed for exactly that information.

I doubt this comment will be seen on anyone’s screen, but these things should be in the Illinois discussion.
Thank you.

Comment by 50yd Line View Monday, Oct 2, 23 @ 4:59 pm
===Pritzker says, “There is no reason that the United States federal government should be unable to collect and share simple data on people presenting themselves at our border.”===

I read it fine one time. Cross any border you give information, it needs to be collected

Here’s the funny “I’m so helpless, but we’re helpless to… “

===Read that twice. (I know. You have to get past the double negative)
Read between the lines.
The city of Chicago is intentionally not being told who’s being dropped off in the city===

Here’s the part that’s purposeful to a narrative of their own;

===a city that’s already facing unprecedented criminal activity.===

Cite the unprecedented to the overall. Where does Chicago rank in danger per capita?

Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Oct 2, 23 @ 5:04 pm
JB is right it is a Federal problem that must be solved at the federal level. And he’s got some reasonable asks of the Feds.

However, perspective seems to have gotten lost on just how big the overall problem is.

It’s estimated there are up to 8,000 illegal immigrants crossing the southern border each day, repeat, each day. The lower boundary estimate seems to be about 2,500 a day.

A total of 4 states abut Mexico, with Texas having 64% of the total border miles. Texas has a huge mess.

JB is complaining about 15,000 immigrants in total. Assuming immigration corresponds to border miles (not necessarily true but hard to get solid numbers by location, just overall totals), that’s just a few day’s to a couple of week’s worth of the problem Texas has. Not even in the same ball game.

Comment by RNUG Monday, Oct 2, 23 @ 5:09 pm
How many suburban school districts want to spend money on migrant children even with Title 1 funding?

Comment by Steve Monday, Oct 2, 23 @ 5:20 pm
===want to spend money on migrant children even with===

That reads like a racist type of exclusion.

Just sayin’

Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Oct 2, 23 @ 5:22 pm
I have a genuine question that I’ve never seen addressed regarding asylum seekers in the US. I have tried to find it before but my Google-fu has failed me. Does anyone know the amount of federal funding that goes to the various states to handle these sorts of immigration issues?

I have always assumed that Texas (and other border states) get significant amounts of federal funding to deal with the asylum seekers but sanctuary states like Illinois and New York receive much less funding due to our distance from the southern border. I also expect the kind of resources are different because until 13 months ago we were not having to house immigrants to the degree that we do now. Border states have much different resources for this type of thing than what Illinois and New York have.

Comment by Aaron B Monday, Oct 2, 23 @ 5:29 pm
@Aaron B.
most of the funding to “deal with them” goes to NGOs. Not grants or bulk money to cities or states. Housing food, education, medical care, etc, etc. 250k+ crossed the border last month. We can’t house or feed them. There are streets in el paso lined with tents and cardboard boxes, all the shelters are over full.
There is no federal budget to cover millions of new asylum seekers a year.

Which is funny, because until a few years ago asylum was not what was sought. but now the “rules” (not the law) have changed.

Comment by Ron - In Texas Monday, Oct 2, 23 @ 5:41 pm