Explosive meeting in Joliet over potential migrant housing: 'we have enough problems!'

JOLIET, Ill. - An explosive board meeting in Joliet on Tuesday was standing room only, after residents say they were "blindsided" to find out that migrant shelters could soon be popping up in their city. 

Now, many of those community members are calling on Joliet Township to reject the $8.6 million awarded by the State of Illinois to provide shelter, food and health care to roughly 1,900 migrants.

"I’m upset, I’m p----d off, simply because we have not been told anything," said Rev. Larry Ellis of St. Mark CME Church.

"We have enough problems and that’s clear by the condition of the roads in this city!" another community member said.

The meeting was relocated to the auditorium in Bicentennial Park earlier this week to accommodate the large crowd that was expected.

There, fiery commentary from the community put Joliet Township board members in the hot seat.  

With hundreds in attendance, public comment went on for several hours Tuesday evening, and the overwhelming majority of residents who spoke were opposed to the plan.

Seated on-stage were Trustee Tanya Arias, Trustee Cesar Escutia, Trustee Ray Slattery, Supervisor Angel Contreas, and township attorney Brian Wellner.

"We don’t want this, we don’t want this," said Qiana McKenzie, community member.

"This is our township and we wish to be included and give our consent," said another Joliet resident.

Under the proposal submitted to the state by Supervisor Contreras, Joliet Township would create three migrant centers and one clinic.

"As of today Joliet Township has not accepted the $8.6 million grant, nothing has been finalized," said Contreras. "We are here to listen to your concerns."

One of the migrant sites named in the proposal is the Peter Claver Center. It was purchased for $450,000 by the township in June – with the understanding that youth outreach would continue, but that may no longer be the case.

"Why wasn’t there any representation for that. I think we were misled about the Peter Claver Center," said Ellis.

Another location is the Hartman Recreation Center, but on Tuesday, it was announced that the Joliet Park District was rescinding its lease offer from the township. The park district is claiming it had no knowledge the township wanted to use it as a migrant shelter.

Some say this is a humanitarian crisis and communities should be doing what they can to help.

"People are coming here for safety and a better way of life," said Douglas Kasper, community member.

Others say Joliet does not have the capacity to support the proposed 1,900 asylum seekers.

"We are unprepared for something we didn't know about," said Trista Brown, community member.

"It's all about resources and about tax dollars," said John Sheridan, president, Cunningham Neighborhood Council.

Likewise, Joliet Mayor Terry D'Arcy wants the grant application withdrawn.

"It's just not tenable, we cannot do what the grant says. I found out in the news, like everybody else, I had no knowledge this grant was applied for," said D’Arcy.

The heated conversation is sure to continue.

Now, the ball is in the township's court to decide whether or not to accept the state funding.

Earlier on Tuesday, Gov. Pritzker was asked how many migrants were already living in the suburbs, and this was his response:

"Let me be clear that asylum seekers are not required to tell us where they are moving to. They might choose to go to a suburb or anywhere downstate, and some have without us even knowing. And so you would find out only if they are applying for certain kinds of services, where they are," said Pritzker. "We're all trying to work together, but I know there are people who are concerned about the continued migration to Chicago and that's one of the reasons why for the last 13 months, I've been saying to the federal government and to our congresspeople that we need not only dollars to help take care of the people who come here, but also have a better system for distribution of folks around the country."

Tuesday’s meeting in Joliet came as officials are struggling to find housing for the thousands of migrants who have arrived in Chicago since August 2022.