A Chicago suburb declared an emergency Thursday over the arrival of a few dozen migrants, according to a press release.
The Village of Oak Park is caring for more than 100 migrants that needed shelter amid cold temperatures, according to the press release from the local board. The migrants were largely living outside of a Chicago Police Department station. (RELATED: EXCLUSIVE: Border Patrol Encountered Nearly 200,000 Illegal Aliens in First Month of FY 2024, Preliminary Data Show)
The Chicago suburb approved $150,000 on Oct. 30 for migrants in addition to $150,000 in grant funding from Metropolitan Mayors Caucus, according to the press release. Village Manager Kevin J. Jackson also opened an emergency operations center Nov. 1 to help migrants get shelter.
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS – MAY 09: A migrant couple from Venezuela and their 15-month-old son rest in the lobby of a police station where they have been staying with other migrant families since their arrival to the city on May 09, 2023 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images)
With the help of local faith-based organizations, the Village of Oak Park has been able to offer migrants help with translations and medical care. Local leaders, however, have asked that the community pause donations of supplies and meals as there is a plan to help migrants in the short-term.
“Following the activation of the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) Wednesday, the Village’s emergency response plan to this situation remains in development. Once solidified, officials expect to put out a call to the community for ongoing support to address the needs of the migrant population,” the village board said in a statement regarding a pause on donations.
Federal authorities at the southern border have seen a surge in illegal immigration in recent years. The number of migrants that got into the U.S. either after law enforcement apprehension or by running from authorities is larger than the populations of 11 states, a Daily Caller News Foundation review of fiscal year 2023 data found.
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