Joliet Township residents push back against city accepting migrants

JOLIET, Ill. - A state grant awarded to Joliet Township would fund services for migrants, but some residents in the southwest suburb are questioning whether the money should be accepted.

Community members say they were surprised to learn recently that Joliet Township applied for funding to aid asylum seekers. Word spread quickly when, on Friday, Sept. 29, Governor J.B. Pritzker announced that Joliet was selected to receive $8.6 million.

Other cities awarded grant money include Chicago, Elgin, and Oak Park.

"A lot of us just got blindsided," said Trista Brown, community member.

Now they are calling on officials to withdraw the application.

"It was a shock," said John Sheridan, president, Cunningham Neighborhood Council. "We cannot financially afford it. The city of Joliet nor the township can afford this type of expense for a community."

As controversy brews, a Joliet Township board meeting is scheduled for Tuesday at 5 p.m. There, Sheridan and Brown – among other residents – plan to share their concerns.

The state funds would be used toward food, shelter, housing, and health care for migrants. But, Brown says she knows residents in Joliet who need housing, and questions where the assistance is for those individuals.

"You still don’t have any places for us to go, so how would they have a place to go," said Brown.

Community members also fear that eventually, their taxes will be raised as a result of the plan.

"For Pritzker to give us a little money in Joliet to get some programs started, what's going to happen when you run out of the money? There’s no funding sources left, you’ll dry up the community’s resources of this small town," said Sheridan.

The grant application was submitted by Joliet Township Supervisor Angel Contreras.

According to the proposal, the township actually asked for more than $12 million to "open and operate three welcome centers and one welcome clinic" that would serve "roughly 1,900" migrants.

One of the buildings slated for use is the Hartman Recreation Center located at 511 N. Collins Street.

Another is the Peter Claver Center located at 172 S. Chicago Street, which used to be a space for youth programming.

"And it saved a lot of lives of youth in Joliet," said Sheridan.

Sheridan says it was purchased for $450,000 by the township in June – with the understanding that outreach would continue, but that may no longer be the case.

"They were misled and the sale is done," said Sheridan.

Two other locations named in the proposal are the Spanish Community Center at 309 N. Eastern Avenue and Duly Health and Care at 2100 Glenwood Avenue.

Community members say there was little to no transparency when it came to the grant application, and they’ll be seeking answers during Tuesday’s board meeting.

It’s expected to draw such a large crowd, that it was moved from Joliet Township Hall to the auditorium at Bicentennial Park.

"This theater behind me hold 350 people and standing room, and we have a good feeling it’s going to be totally packed," said Sheridan.

"Just to be informed and let the community come out and express what they feel," said Brown.

Joliet Mayor Terry D’Arcy reportedly stated that he and other city officials had no knowledge of the grant application. FOX 32 Chicago requested a statement on Monday, but did not immediately hear back.

FOX 32 Chicago also reached out multiple times Monday to Township Supervisor Contreras for his side of the story, but did not hear back.