McHenry Times

In the event of illegal immigrants being transported to Lake in the Hills Village, Village President Ray Bogdanowski has stated that the community is prepared to assist those individuals in continuing their journey to Chicago. He clarified that there is currently no ordinance in place within the Village of Lake in the Hills that would prohibit such drop-offs.

“If the situation occurs where migrants are delivered to a Village of Lake in the Hills facility, Village staff will follow the guidance provided by the McHenry County Emergency Management Agency so that they can safely and appropriately route the migrants to the City of Chicago,” Bogdanowski told the McHenry Times.

His comments were made in response to a request from Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson for assistance from suburban mayors with the city’s illegal immigrant crisis.

Mayor Johnson's call for support was echoed by Burr Ridge Mayor Gary Grasso. 

"He’s asking us all for support, calling out the federal government," Grasso told NBC Chicago.

Grasso further elaborated that Johnson specifically requested support for increased funding, shelter services for migrants, and his demand from Washington.

The issue of migrant drop-offs has been escalating since late December when Chicago began implementing fines and threatening to impound non-compliant buses. These measures specifically target buses dropping off illegal immigrants within city limits without prior notice. As a result, there have been increased instances of drop-offs in suburban communities with Metra access, as reported by Patch.

During a Hinsdale Village Board meeting last month where such drop-offs were prohibited, officials reported being notified by a bus driver that these occurrences were expected to continue through March. The frequency of daily drop-offs throughout Illinois has varied significantly, sometimes exceeding 10 instances per day and approaching 800 people per day at times, according to DuPage Policy Journal.

Concerns have been raised following reports that over 34,000 illegal immigrants have arrived in Illinois since mid-2022. This situation has added urgency to calls for stronger border control measures. Last fall, Illinois allocated $42.5 million in grant money for municipalities to house illegal immigrants. As of last fall, Lake County, Elgin, Oak Park, Urbana and Chicago had received grant funds from the state to assist with housing and other needs. In total, the state has allocated $500 million for the care of illegal immigrants, according to Capitol News Illinois.