Will DNC bring migrant influx to Chicago? Municipalities, organizations prepare for possible bump

With some Chicago officials reportedly expressing concern that southern governors will send busloads of migrants north in advance of the Democratic National Convention, suburban officials and community groups say they will be ready.

At the Republican National Convention last month, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott stated he will continue to send migrants to “sanctuary cities.” “Those buses will continue to roll until we finally secure our border,” he said.

That’s intensified worries that the arrivals could be timed to the convention later this month, when thousands of delegates and media from across the world will be in Chicago.

“We know more new immigrant arrivals are coming and we are doing a number of things to prepare,” said Dianha Ortega-Ehreth, executive director of Elgin’s Centro de Información in an email.

The preparation comes as the U.S. Customs and Border Protection reported a “significant decline in migrant encounters” in the wake of President Joe Biden’s June 4 executive order barring migrants who unlawfully cross the southern border from receiving asylum in the U.S.

In a July 15 report, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection reported “encounters between ports of entry were 29% lower than in May 2024 and were the lowest monthly total for the Border Patrol along the southwest border since January 2021.”

That’s good news for Illinois which since 2022 has been one of several states that have faced the challenge of accommodating migrants sent from southern states. More than 45,000 have arrived in Illinois via bus and airplane since 2022, according to the Illinois Department of Human Services. To date, the state has spent $454 million on those individuals.

The state remains “committed to welcoming people with dignity and is determined to continue using its limited resources as efficiently as possible, helping new arrivals on their path to independence,” said IDHS spokeswoman Daisy Contreras via email.

Employees at Centro de Información, which has assisted immigrants for 50 years, help provide food, mental health support and other services for migrants and asylum-seekers. Last year, Elgin received $1.27 million from the state which the Metropolitan Mayors Caucus, in cooperation with IDHS, distributed to Centro de Información, Food for Greater Elgin and Well Child Center.

The funds allowed Centro de Información to provide new immigrants with rental and legal assistance as well as case management.

“We estimate there are approximately 1,000 to 2,000 new immigrant arrivals in the Elgin area since August 2022,” said Ortega-Ehreth. “We know immigrants will continue entering the U.S. for a number of reasons, including the continuing political and economic crises in various parts of Latin America, especially around Venezuela.”

“They want the same things many people who grew up here want: an opportunity to contribute to society, safety and education for their children and peace,” Ortega-Ehreth added.

While the influx has slowed, service providers will be ready if and when it picks up.

When buses carrying migrants and asylum-seekers arrived in Highland Park from Texas last December, officials and community volunteers, including the teen service group Service and Learning Together (SaLT) and the Rotary Club of Highland Park/Highwood, sprang into action.

“We worked to make sure (the migrants) had necessary supplies and we transported them to the Chicago processing center,” according to city manager Ghida S. Neukirch.

If and when new migrants arrive, “the city is prepared to take action” to ensure their health and safety, Neukirch said.

“We have emergency preparedness plans in place for different types of emergencies,” she said. “We can mobilize quickly to best support our community.”

To that end, the city partners with Illinois and Lake County emergency management agencies as well as school and park districts.

“If we need a gym to house people temporarily, we’ve got schools that could do that,” Neukirch said. “Our emergency management partners have the ability to access cots. And one of our school districts own their own buses, so we can transport people if we need to.”

Neukirch says Service and Learning Together (SaLT), a Highland Park teen service organization founded by retired educators Ida Fiore and Brad Swanson, has been especially helpful.

To date, the group has filled about 500 tote bags with mostly donated items including hand sanitizer, socks, nonperishable food, a water bottle, first-aid kit, masks, toiletries and over-the-counter pain medication. Teen volunteers will put together 500 more care packages in anticipation of newcomers.

“We’re bracing for an increase based on the Democratic National Convention and some of the political language,” Swanson said.

And if it happens that Highland Park has a surplus of supplies, Swanson says SaLT will share with other communities.

“Our resources can be their resources,” he said.