Will County Gazette

In a decisive statement, Plainfield Village President John F. Argoudelis has declared that Plainfield will not accept migrants within its boundaries. Argoudelis cited a lack of facilities and legal processing capabilities as the primary reasons for the village’s stance on this matter.

“We will not accept migrants in Plainfield,” Argoudelis told Will County Gazette.

“We do not have facilities to house them, nor are we in position to process them pursuant to our laws.  The State has set up facilities in Chicago and our plan in place is to ensure that any buses and migrants get safely to Chicago where they can be properly housed and processed.”

An ordinance expected to be voted on by Plainfield on Feb.5 would prohibit buses from dropping off passengers without prior notice.

These comments from Argoudelis come at a time when Brandon Johnson, Mayor of Chicago, is seeking assistance from suburban mayors to manage the city’s crisis with illegal immigrants.

Burr Ridge’s Gary Grasso commented on Johnson's request for support stating, "He’s asking us all for support, calling out the federal government." 

In an interview with NBC Chicago, Grasso mentioned that Johnson specifically requested support for increased funding for shelter and services for the migrants as well as Johnson’s demand from Washington.

In related news, Mark Senak, Glen Ellyn Village President recently disclosed during the League of Women Voters Glen Ellyn 2024 State of the Village Annual Meeting on Jan. 26 that his community was offered an $11 million state grant. This grant is intended to aid in permanently resettling illegal immigrants within their community. This information was first brought forward by State Rep. Terra Costa Howard (D-Glen Ellyn), who informed the village about available funds earmarked for this purpose.

This issue has gained attention due to reports indicating that over 34,000 illegal immigrants have arrived in Illinois since mid-2022. This has intensified calls for stronger border control measures. Last fall, Illinois allocated $42.5 million in grant money to municipalities for housing illegal immigrants. Lake County, Elgin, Oak Park, Urbana and Chicago have already received these funds from the state to assist with housing and other needs. In total, the state has set aside $500 million for the care of illegal immigrants, as reported by Capitol News Illinois.