Will County Gazette

Joliet Township locals are gearing up to challenge the townships leadership in the 2024 municipal election. 

The move comes after Joliet Township announced its decision to no longer pursue an $8.6 million grant for providing services to asylum-seekers.

This decision was made in response to the controversy surrounding the grant, which had led to a contentious Joliet Township board meeting attended by 350 people who expressed their views on the matter.

“We attended the township meeting. It was very rowdy and nothing new came out of it. The public spoke for probably 3 hours. They took public comment. The township board did not answer questions, but they did get an earful from residents. Ultimately they withdrew through the grant, which was the right decision,” Joliet Township resident Tina McGrath told Will County Gazette.  

“Typically, they don't answer questions and this one was no different. They were represented by township counsel and he addressed the crowd at the beginning of the meeting. But no, there was no Q&A session. It more or less was an opportunity for those of us in the community to let the board know that we were not okay with a backroom deal to bring more illegal immigrants into a city that's already struggling financially to serve the needs of its low income and unhoused residents.”

McGrath said the concerned citizens are still upset with the current leadership.

“We are looking to find a slate to run against the current board,” she said.

“If nothing else, we just want to get the ball in motion. We need our elected officials to understand that we've reached a breaking point as taxpayers and there is no more room for error. There should be no backroom deals. We want transparency. We want our tax dollars spent in our communities on our citizens. There are a lot of needs in Joliet and you can see it everywhere you go. We have a lot of vacant properties. We have a lot of homeless people. We have unserved veterans who need assistance and we want to see those needs met first.”

 On Oct. 10 Joliet Township residents attended the contentious meeting regarding an $8.6 million grant intended to fund resources and aid for illegal immigrants, raising concerns over how the money would be used.

While some attendees supported the township's efforts to help asylum seekers, others argued that the needs of the local citizens should be addressed before assisting asylum seekers, resulting in a heated discussion about the grant's implications.

On Oct. 13 Joliet Township announced it had retracted the grant application.

“Joliet Township thanks everyone who attended the October 10, 2023 Township Regular Board Meeting to provide their input, and thanks everyone who communicated their opinion to the Township,” the Township said in a press release.

“Many other issues were raised at the meeting beyond the Asylum grant application, and Joliet Township looks forward to working with our community and governmental partners to address those issues. Joliet Township already provides many useful services, and we encourage the public to remain engaged with the Township beyond this issue to help us better serve our residents.”

The move came after calls for Joliet Township Supervisor Angel Contreras to resign emerged after concerns were raised about a grant application he submitted for the housing of illegal immigrants in the community.

Residents in Joliet questioned the transparency and necessity of the grant application, which raises concerns about how government resources are allocated in response to illegal immigration, while essential needs of taxpayers and Americans are seemingly overlooked.

Kyle Rosales, a candidate for the Illinois House 98th District, recently highlighted the struggles of a local senior citizen facing rising inflation and what he perceives as government neglect.

The situation has stirred controversy, as resources allocated to illegal immigrants have raised concerns among residents who feel that the essential needs of taxpayers and Americans are being overlooked.

He shared the story of a senior citizen named Pat, who, despite being disabled and living on a fixed income, received only $23.00 a month for food assistance, while illegal immigrants are provided with $100 per diem debit cards totaling $3,000 a month.