Lake County, Elgin to receive $1 million each to assist asylum-seekers
Lake County and the city of Elgin will receive about $1 million each to support asylum-seekers.
Gov. J.B. Pritzker recently announced nearly $42 million in awards to local governments that are taking in migrants fleeing violence and other threats, mostly from countries south of the U.S. border.
The funds will be used for shelter and housing support, food, legal support, health care, and wraparound services - comprehensive supports for youth and families such as case management, counseling, crisis care, outreach, and education.
"Although we will still need significant federal support as this crisis continues, these grants will empower local governments to build out services and supports for new arrivals so we can successfully transition them into our state and give them the opportunity to complete their legal asylum process," Pritzker said.
Buses carrying migrants who arrived at the southern border seeking asylum began arriving in Illinois last year, most sent by the state of Texas.
Since Aug. 31, 2022, the state has welcomed more than 15,000 new arrivals, primarily from Central and South America. The state has since spent $328 million to support asylum-seekers.
To distribute the latest round of funding, the Illinois Department of Human Services is partnering with the Metropolitan Mayors Caucus, which provides management oversight.
"We understand the importance of providing support services for this vulnerable population," said caucus Executive Director Neil James.
Lake County is expected to receive nearly $1 million from the program, while Elgin will get about $1.27 million. Other municipalities receiving funding are Chicago, at $30.25 million, and Oak Park, $150,000.
Elgin will distribute the funds to three community agencies with long-standing services: Centro de Información, Food for Greater Elgin and Well Child Center.
Centro de Información will use the money to provide critical wraparound services, legal immigration and rental assistance. Food for Greater Elgin will use the funds to provide access to healthy and nutritious food, and Well Child Center will provide essential health care services for women and children.
"This additional funding is critical to the work we do each and every day," said Dianha Ortega-Ehreth, Centro de Información executive director. "Our case workers are all fully bilingual and bicultural. They are all trained to work with new arrivals. We estimate that we can reach close to 1,000 individuals over the course of the year."
Hundreds of asylum-seekers have been arriving in the Elgin area within the past year and already are on the center's client rosters. "We need the staff to be able to help them out and that's just what this (money) will help us do," Ortega-Ehreth said.
Lake County's grant application was based on reporting from three partner organizations - Mano a Mano, Hispanic American Community Education and Services and North Suburban Legal Aid Clinic. Collectively, they reported serving nearly 2,000 asylum-seekers.
The county will manage and report on the funding, officials said.
Mano a Mano will receive $670,000 for food, legal supports, rental assistance and wraparound services. HACES will get $272,727 for health services, legal supports and wraparound services. And North Suburban Legal Aid will get $95,454 for legal supports and wraparound services.
• Daily Herald staff writer Mick Zawislak contributed to this report.