GOP Lawmakers: "Take Away the Welcome Mat" From Migrants
Rep. Joe Sosnowski (R-Rockford), Rep. John Cabello (R-Machesney Park), Sen. Andrew Chesney (R-Freeport), and Sen. Dave Syverson (R-Cherry Valley) speak at the Capitol Tuesday urging the state to stop supporting asylum-seeking migrants being shipped to Illinois from Texas.
NOTE: This story was originally posted for subscribers only. To receive subscriber-only newsletters and content, click here.
A group of Rockford-area Republican lawmakers say they want the state to stop supporting asylum-seeking migrants who have been shipped to Chicago from Texas.
While Democrats are privately debating how, and if, more state funding can be put toward feeding and housing the migrants, who are in the state legally after applying for asylum in the United States, the group of conservative Republicans want the state to pull back their support for migrants.
In fact, the plan presented by Sen. Andrew Chesney (R-Freeport), Sen. Dave Syverson (R-Cherry Valley), Rep. John Cabello (R-Machesney Park), and Rep. Joe Sosnowski (R-Rockford) could bet be described as to “move folks along.”
“We need to take away the welcome mat and the incentives in this state,” Chesney said. “When we do that, we’ll see a realignment that we want to put people, that are legal Illinois citizens first.”
Chesney said the plan would essentially make Illinois a worse place for migrants, who are already sleeping in shelters and on buses.
“Our hope is that they’re going to have travelers remorse and that the migrants are going to return to their home countries,” Chesney said.
The group also wants to repeal state programs that provide Medicaid-style health insurance for illegal or undocumented immigrants.
“When folks are struggling to pay their bills, we are now paying for [undocumented immigrants to] have free health care,” Cabello said. “That should anger our citizens immensely.”
But, the Republicans muddied the water between health care for people in the state illegally and those legally in the country seeking asylum.
“Either close the border or the federal government should be paying for this health care, not asking Illinois taxpayers to pay this huge number that is growing each day as more and more come into the state,” said Syverson.
Migrants seeking asylum in the United States, like the ones being bussed and flown to Chicago, have health care covered by the federal government, not the state.
The group also wants to repeal the “TRUST Act,” a 2017 law that mostly prohibits from local police from taking action on immigration cases.
“It is just insane that you have one law enforcement agency not able to speak to another,” said Cabello, a Rockford Police officer. “When we’re looking at some of the worst of the worst coming to our country, for us to not be able to speak to ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) is insane.”
The group says they believe 80% of asylum applications will be rejected, citing an “average,” but no other data.
The group said they intend to introduce a package of bills laying out their priorities. We discussed the ideas with a top Democrat Tuesday who simply rolled their eyes at the GOP ideas.
Meanwhile, House Democrats Wednesday announced a migrant working group to be chaired by Rep. Jennifer Gong-Gershowitz (D-Glenview), an immigration attorney.
“We know this issue will be an important part of conversations this session, which is why I’m putting together a diverse team with strong, relevant backgrounds ready to act as needed,” House Speaker Chris Welch said in a statement. “Rep. Gong-Gershowitz has decades of experience understanding the complex issues related to immigration, and I’m confident she will lead this group with the skill, knowledge and compassion required.”
No Republicans are on the working group.
