Illinois City Councilman Proposes Debated Solution To Influx
The Naperville City Council has recently come under fire for suggesting that wealthier residents should open up their homes to illegal immigrants.
City Councilman Josh McBroom proposed the idea at a council meeting last week, stating that there may be individuals in the affluent community who would be willing to provide shelter for these migrants.
The proposal was met with mixed reactions from fellow council members, with Nate Wilson, Paul Leong, and Jennifer Bruzan Taylor all seemingly in support of the idea. However, no formal vote was taken at the meeting. McBroom directed city staff to look into creating a sign-up sheet for individuals who would be willing to house migrant families and to come back with ideas on how to facilitate this.
Naperville, a suburb of Chicago with a population of approximately 149,000, has seen a surge in the number of illegal immigrants being dropped off in the city since December 21. According to a city spokesperson, at least six buses full of migrants have been sent to Naperville. This comes as nearby Chicago has received thousands of migrants from Texas.
Naperville Councilman Josh McBroom wants a sign-up list for residents to host illegals in their homes:
"We do have a very affluent community. We have a lot of big homes."
Naperville is a wealthy liberal suburb on the outskirts of Chicago. Biden won there by a 20% margin in… pic.twitter.com/UdO61MmRKW
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During the meeting, McBroom acknowledged the compassion of the Naperville community, stating that he believes there are people who genuinely care and would be willing to offer their homes as shelter for these migrants. He also mentioned that there are legal considerations that would need to be addressed and suggested that the city could play a role in coordinating the effort or providing resources.
Meanwhile, in nearby Chicago, Mayor Brandon Johnson has been openly critical of Texas for sending migrants to his city and has repeatedly asked the Biden administration for more funding to deal with the influx. Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker has also joined in on the complaints, expressing frustration at Texas for sending migrants to his state.
Under the current administration, the number of illegal immigrants crossing the southern border has reached record highs. In response, Texas has been sending these migrants to sanctuary cities like Chicago. However, in an effort to control the arrivals, Mayor Johnson has imposed restrictions on migrants entering the city. In turn, Texas has responded by dropping off migrants at nearby suburbs like Naperville.
As the debate over the treatment of illegal immigrants in the United States continues, the proposal to house them in the homes of affluent citizens has sparked a wide range of opinions. While some may see this as an act of compassion and an opportunity to help those in need, others are raising concerns about the legal and practical implications of such a decision.
As Illinois struggles to handle the influx of migrants, it remains to be seen whether Naperville's proposal will come to fruition and if it will have any impact on the larger issue at hand. The city council is expected to revisit the issue once staff has provided further information and options.