Dupage Policy Journal

The response to Western Springs native Lisa Laidlaw in suggesting Hinsdale residents embrace trainloads of illegal immigrants dropped into the city was swift.

“We aren’t there but hope they are embraced and settled by the fine folks in Hinsdale!” Laidlaw said in response to a Facebook post by The Hinsdalean noting troves of illegal immigrants being transported through Hinsdale.

Such commentary from those living outside of the communities where multiple times per day illegal immigrants are being dropped off is being panned by local residents more and more often.

“How much room do you have in your home?” Sharon Balko asked Laidlaw.

Laidlaw’s comment and Balko’s response came after reports from The Hinsdalean of illegal immigrants being dropped off in the city.

“A group of migrants was just dropped in the parking lot of the office building on the corner of First and Garfield in downtown Hinsdale,” the Hinsdalean said on Facebook.

“They walked to the train station and boarded the Burlington toward Chicago. Apparently several bus loads of other migrants have been dropped off in communities along the Burlington line and have also taken trains toward the city.”

Laidlaw is a Real Estate Broker at Everything Pines Partners based in North Carolina.

She lives in Aberdeen, N.C. which is 811 miles away from Hinsdale.

Laidlaw has long been a supporter of illegal immigrants.

In 2017 she posted a photo of herself with the caption, “I am #WithDreamers. I SUPPORT DACA.”

DACA is Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, which offers citizenship pathways for those brought to the country illegally as children. 

Comments combating “feel good” narratives from those such as Laidlaw have been increasing as suburban police agencies in the Chicagoland area have been grappling with an increase in busloads of illegal immigrants being dropped off, prompting concerns about the allocation of police resources.

Recent days have seen busloads of migrants arriving in various municipalities, with Lockport, Joliet, and other areas reporting increased activity.

The Will County Emergency Management Agency (EMA) issued a statement outlining plans to coordinate with local municipalities as buses carrying Latin American migrants continue to arrive unexpectedly.

Local authorities in response to the surge in migrant arrivals have issued emergency orders and implemented ordinances to regulate the situation.

The Village of Lockport and other communities have granted police powers to fine and impound buses lacking proper clearance, while Chicago passed an ordinance impounding buses without prior notice or those dropping migrants at undesignated locations.

However, these measures have led to buses being dropped off in suburban areas, particularly at Metra stations, raising concerns about the effectiveness of the response strategy.

Several suburbs, including Fox River Grove, Elmhurst and Kankakee, have experienced unannounced drop-offs of migrants, creating challenges for local authorities.

Incidents, such as a group of 38 migrants dropped off in Fox River Grove and 91 individuals at the Elmhurst train station, have prompted swift action by police departments.

The Aurora City Council approved an ordinance requiring transportation companies to provide advance notice of bus arrivals, mirroring regulations in Chicago. Failure to comply with these requirements could result in fines and bus impoundment.

In a proactive move, the Elmhurst Police Department assisted with two busloads of migrants and the Illinois Department of Human Services reserved hotel rooms for those dropped off in Elmhurst.

The state, in collaboration with Chicago officials, plans to secure more hotel rooms for migrants temporarily housed before relocating to a converted pharmacy in the Little Village neighborhood. The situation has highlighted the need for a comprehensive and coordinated response to address the concerns of both local authorities and asylum-seekers.

Meanwhile, residents in affected areas have expressed concern that illegal immigrants are being treated better than existing taxpayers.

The extensive public assistance provided to undocumented immigrants by both the Chicago City Council and the State of Illinois has particularly upset those in the black community.

Earlier this year, a city council meeting raised concerns about the rising number of migrants in historically black neighborhoods and the perceived neglect of local residents, sparking debates over resource allocation and the city's management of the situation.

Chicago resident Jessica Jackson criticized the Chicago City Council for allocating more resources to migrants entering the country than to long-term residents and taxpayers in need.

“In the words of Malcolm X, we have been hoodwinked, run amuck, bamboozled, by sitting here thinking that these Black politicians are helping us," Jackson said.