Chicago: $300 million spent on illegal immigrants for feeding, housing, and operational challenges

CHICAGO, IL - Mayor Brandon Johnson has allocated significant financial resources to support the influx of illegal immigrants, primarily from Venezuela, who have arrived in the city since August 2022. 

According to official records, the city has spent approximately $31 million on feeding immigrants between August 2022 and February 2024. The total expenditure has hit about $300 million in the same time period. Details on the profit margins for organizations claiming to assist the immigrants have been "hidden from public view" on a website created to outline spending, according to NBC CHicago News.

The Greater Chicago Food Depository has committed over $17.6 million in both public and private funds to provide food for immigrants during this period.

The feeding operations for illegal migrants have been outsourced by the city to several vendors. Despite the substantial investments made, there have been challenges in ensuring that the meals provided meet the needs and preferences of the illegal aliens.

Formal complaints filed by shelter residents have highlighted issues related to the quality, temperature, and spiciness of the food served in the temporary shelters.

Recognizing the importance of providing culturally relevant and nutritious meals, vendors and caterers have made efforts to adapt their menus to cater to the preferences of Venezuelan migrants.

Gerardo Abreu, co-owner of Sabe a Zulia, a Venezuelan restaurant in Chicago, discussed his approach to providing meals that resonate with the preferences of Venezuelans. "We figured out how to cook on a budget for tons of people," Abreu stated in Spanish, discussing dishes like rice with shredded chicken and a basic salad.

He further elaborated that Venezuelans have a penchant for hearty meals, stating, "We appreciate our staple foods like rice, beans, and plantains."

Similarly, Rhodel Castillo, co-owner of Garifuna Flava, a Caribbean-style restaurant, has focused on offering dishes like coconut rice, barbecue chicken, and fried plantains, which have been well-received by the immigrant population.

Amy Laboy, vice president of programs and community partnerships for the Greater Chicago Food Depository, has emphasized the collaborative effort involved in providing meals to immigrants.

The food bank has worked alongside various caterers and vendors to deliver meals to up to 21 shelters.

She posed the question, "How do you create a menu that offers choice and dignity, incorporating all the essential components in a manner that is well-received?"

In addition to the challenges related to meal quality and variety, the city of Chicago has faced logistical and operational issues in managing the feeding operations for migrants.

The involvement of multiple vendors and the rapid increase in the number of migrants arriving in the city have posed challenges in coordinating food delivery, storage, and distribution across various temporary shelters.

While the city has made substantial investments in feeding immigrants, there have been missed opportunities to leverage cost-effective solutions for housing them.

The Catholic Archdiocese of Chicago has offered the city rent-free spaces in over 60 shuttered churches, schools, and other buildings to accommodate immigrants. However, Mayor Brandon Johnson’s administration has yet to act on these offers, opting instead to rent private shelter spaces at significant costs.

Oak Park, a neighboring suburb of Chicago, has taken a different approach by collaborating with the Catholic Archdiocese to house immigrants in a former Catholic school. This initiative has allowed Oak Park to save potentially millions of dollars in rent and operational costs associated with housing immigrants in private properties.

Despite the availability of rent-free spaces offered by the Catholic Archdiocese, the city of Chicago has continued to incur substantial expenses by renting private shelter spaces from companies like Equitable Social Solutions.

According to official data, the city has paid a total of $45.5 million to Equitable Social Solutions for leasing private shelter spaces, accounting for approximately 15% of the total expenditure on the immigrant crisis. The city's decision to rent private shelter spaces at high costs, despite the availability of rent-free options from the Catholic Archdiocese, has contributed to substantial expenditures in addressing the illegal immigrant crisis.
 
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Comments

DS

white people should Color their skin dress real POOR and head to Chicago... gather in with the ILLEGALS and get YOUR FREE LIVING CARDS.

DS

Just wait and see what is coming soon to all big cities.. an attack on BRIDGES, ELECTRIC STATIONS, LARGE CITY BUILDINGS, and GOVERNMENT STRUCTURES... Baltimore is a WARNING... but BLUE run states are IGNORANT with EVIL leadership... those who support and cheat in elections are going to REAP what they have sown.

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