Frustrated Chicago residents fed up with spending on illegal immigrants, call for Republican leadership
Chicago residents are fed up with the city spending taxpayer dollars on illegal immigrants, prompting some to call for Republicans to take over the traditionally Democrat-run city.
"The taxpayers are paying and funding this illegal migrant crisis," South-Side resident Danielle Carter told Fox News Digital. "So, therefore, it's not fair to us because they are taking our resources. They are spending our tax dollars on people who crossed the border illegally. I think everybody who came over here illegally should get deported and come back legally."
Carter is a member of the Chicago Flips Red, a group made up of city residents who are critical of the city's handling of the migrant crisis. Since August 2022, the city estimates that over 51,000 illegal immigrants from the southern border have traveled to Chicago.
Over the past couple of years, their frustration has been displayed at several city council meetings where they complained about a proposed tax hike to address the city's budget deficit, while the city spends more than half a billion dollars on sheltering migrants. According to city officials, Chicago is expected to spend $40 million on migrant services.
Chicago Alderman Accuses Mayor Johnson Of Only Listening To 'Hyper-liberal White Progressives' On Immigration
Zoe Leigh, another member of Chicago Flips Red, told Fox News Digital that she believes the city's spending on illegal immigrants is "unconstitutional."
Read On The Fox News App
"We continue to spend more because of this. It's unconstitutional. It's wrong. This is unfair. American citizens have put too much into the United States, into this nation, for us not to even have a say," she said.
Chicago Flips Red founder Patricia "P Rae" Easley called for a democratic process to decide whether local authorities should work with federal law enforcement like Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to deport illegal immigrants.
"They should have given us the opportunity to vote for it. Just a simple yes or no question. Should we remain a sanctuary city? They didn't want to give that to us. The fact of the matter is, the Chicagoans have never, ever, ever voted for this sanctuary city ordinance," Easley said.
Chicago Horror: 2 Migrants Charged With Murder As Homan Leads Ice Raids
The city council recently blocked a proposal that would have allowed local law enforcement to assist ICE to detain migrants with a criminal record. Mayor Brandon Johnson released guidelines for how city officials should handle ICE visits on city property, while reaffirming his administration's "commitment to the welcoming city ordinance."
Carter said she and others are willing to report any migrants to the authorities.
"We're on the ground. We have our boots on the ground. So, the people in the neighborhood are willing and ready to work with Tom Homan and ICE," Carter said.
"They care more for other people who are not from this country than they do here in America," Mark Carter told Fox News Digital.
Cata Truss, a Democrat, said the city leaders should be looking to take care of our own citizens first, citing the "homeless problem" in the city.
"You've even laid out the red carpet in terms of funding for them. Yet your people are still suffering. We had a homeless problem here in the city of Chicago before the migrants ever got here. And so you're putting them up in hotels and finding nice places for them to stay," she said.
Chicago officials operated temporary shelters, including churches, hotels, a library and former warehouses. The largest shelters housed more than 1,000 people, while others reported counts closer to 100.
City officials consolidated shelters for the homeless and migrants in an attempt to save taxpayers money, an effort Johnson called a "unified sheltering system."
Johnson's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Fox News' Joshua Nelson and Elizabeth Heckman reported from Chicago, Illinois.Original article source: Frustrated Chicago residents fed up with spending on illegal immigrants, call for Republican leadership
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
26 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Judge says Columbia University activist facing deportation should be freed
Supporters of Mahmoud Khalil rally outside the federal courthouse in Newark on March 28, 2025. (Reena Rose Sibayan for New Jersey Monitor) A federal judge ruled Wednesday that a Columbia University activist detained for partaking in pro-Palestinian protests cannot be held by the federal government over allegations that his presence in the United States undermines the nation's foreign policy interests. U.S. District Judge Michael Farbiarz issued the order Wednesday but gave federal prosecutors until Friday at 9:30 a.m. to ask the 3rd Circuit Court of Appeals to step in. It's unclear if the activist, Mahmoud Khalil, will be released Friday if the government does indeed appeal. 'This is the news we've been waiting over three months for. Mahmoud must be released immediately and safely returned home to New York to be with me and our newborn baby, Deen,' Noor Abdalla, Khalil's wife, said in a statement from the American Civil Liberties Union of New York. 'True justice would mean Mahmoud was never taken away from us in the first place, that no Palestinian father, from New York to Gaza, would have to endure the painful separation of prison walls like Mahmoud has.' If it stands, Farbiarz's ruling, which comes on the heels of a previous decision that said the government's push to deport Khalil was likely unconstitutional, could deal a blow to the Trump administration's efforts to deport dissidents. Khalil was arrested by immigration authorities in March and has been held in Louisiana since. He's fighting two cases to fend off his deportation — one in Louisiana and one in New Jersey, because he was being transferred through Elizabeth Detention Center when his attorneys first filed a petition for his release. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio claimed Khalil supports terrorist group Hamas and called his presence in the country a national security risk. Rubio has cited a rarely used provision of the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1952 to justify Khalil's deportation. Farbiarz noted in his Wednesday ruling that the government could argue that Khalil would have been detained anyway because he inaccurately filled out his lawful permanent resident application, which can be a basis for removal under very rare circumstances. But that argument won't work, he said. 'Lawful permanent residents are virtually never detained pending removal for the sort of alleged omission' Khalil is accused of, the judge wrote in the 14-page filing. Khalil, whose wife and newborn son are American citizens, has not been charged with any crime. He was among the first university students who were picked up by immigration authorities targeting pro-Palestine activists. Some students who were detained under similar circumstances have been released but still face deportation. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Yahoo
26 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Pulse shooting survivors, family members tour building before demolition
Survivors and family members of the victims of the 2016 Pulse nightclub shooting are touring the inside of the building for a final look before it's torn down. About 250 people accepted the city of Orlando's invitation to tour the building where Omar Mateen, who had pledged allegiance to the Islamic State group, killed 49 people and wounded 53 others during a Latin Night celebration at the popular LGBTQIA+ club on June 12, 2016. Mateen was killed following an hourslong standoff with police. At the time, it was the deadliest mass shooting in modern American history. The shooting at the Route 91 Harvest music festival in Las Vegas would eclipse the Pulse shooting's death toll the following year. The visits, which coincide with the shooting's nine-year mark, are being done in small groups over the course of four days, with survivors and family members spending about a half hour inside, according to The Associated Press. Christine Leionen lost her only child, 32-year-old Christopher, in the shooting. Wednesday marked the first time she saw where her son was killed. "My son died on that dance floor. He was shot nine times, and he bled to death on that dance floor," she told CBS News. She said going to Pulse was "a way to try to experience his last seconds of life. I just want to feel closer to him." Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer, who also visited the site, said the visit "took me back nine years." "Reflecting on being in the command center on Orange Avenue as all the things are transpiring and, eventually, the shooting of the killer and then the realization of just how many people were impacted," he said, according to CBS affiliate WKMG-TV. Dyer said the people visiting included 25 of the 49 victims' families. The city of Orlando is planning to build a permanent memorial where the building currently stands. City officials approved a plan to buy the property for $2 million back in 2023, following several previous failed attempts to buy the land. Family members and some survivors had been pushing for a permanent memorial for years before the purchase. But some of the families and survivors still have questions about whether more could have been done to prevent the shooting or if police could have done more to save people. Questions also surround the ensuing investigation and the issue of whether the attack was a hate crime. "I lived that night, but it's a constant sacrifice to keep moving every day," survivor Maritza Gomez told WKMG back when the city approved the plan to buy the property. "I don't think that Pulse should be diminished. I think that an investigation should be taken care of first." An accused woman skips her pedicure, kills her ex-husband Watch California Gov. Gavin Newsom's full speech on federal response to Los Angeles protests LAPD chief speaks out about deployment of military forces to anti-ICE protests

Yahoo
26 minutes ago
- Yahoo
‘A nightmare': Critics blast Jacksonville's new limits on aid for undocumented immigrants
Local activists are urging supporters to boycott businesses owned by Jacksonville City Council members who voted in favor of a new immigration ordinance passed Tuesday night. The bill, which restricts the use of taxpayer dollars for services to undocumented immigrants, passed 11 to 7 after hours of heated debate and multiple amendments. While supporters say it's about fiscal responsibility, critics say it unfairly targets vulnerable communities. >>> STREAM ACTION NEWS JAX LIVE <<< 'We passed Jacksonville's first ever prohibition of spending taxpayer money on illegal immigrants for services,' said Councilman Rory Diamond, who sponsored the bill. 'My colleagues wanted some exceptions… emergency services, military members, and others to prevent unintentional consequences.' Among the changes made before passage: carveouts for pregnant women, children, military families, and victims of sex and labor trafficking. Still, the measure drew emotional responses from community advocates. [DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks] Cuban-American community leader Clara Sowers said the bill could have a negative effect on immigrants in crisis. 'It's a nightmare,' said Sowers. 'Do you call JSO when you get beat up? Do you get in the ambulance if you're hurt? This bill stokes fear.' Now, the Jacksonville Immigrant Rights Alliance is calling for a boycott of any business tied to council members who voted yes. [SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter] The bill also requires the mayor's office to report on the number of undocumented immigrants receiving city-funded housing, as well as disclose data on DEI programs and federal grants. Mayor Donna Deegan has not yet signed the measure. 'She's in a tough situation,' said Sowers. 'No matter what she does, she'll be criticized.' Councilman Diamond had a message for the mayor: 'Have some guts, have some courage… sign it or veto it. Don't just play games with it.' Click here to download the free Action News Jax news and weather apps, click here to download the Action News Jax Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Action News Jax live.