Dupage Policy Journal

Glen Ellyn Village President, Mark Senak, has called for a Special Meeting of the Village Board on Feb. 26 to address the community's stance on permanently resettling undocumented immigrants in Glen Ellyn. Senak emphasized that the decision lies with the Village Board and underscored the importance of their collective input in determining the village's position.

“At last evening’s Board meeting, the Trustees reiterated the Village Board, not the Village President, makes that decision,” Senak told DuPage Policy Journal.

“I have copied the Village Board members on this response so you may contact them directly and obtain their views. As to my personal views on the issue, I have posted a letter on the Village website explaining those views. You may find it at https://www.glenellyn.org/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=742.”

In regards to efforts to permanently resettle illegal immigrants in the area Senak deferred to the Glen Ellyn Board of Trustees.

“Again, that is a question for the Village Board to answer. To that end, I have called a Special Meeting of the Village Board for February 26, 2024, at 6:00 p.m. in the Glen Ellyn Civic Center to allow the Trustees to inform the community what the Village’s position is on permanently resettling migrants in Glen Ellyn.”

In a communication to Glen Ellyn residents, Senak provided an update on the presence of undocumented immigrants in the community and how the village is responding to this situation. He disclosed that Glen Ellyn has been monitoring migrant buses passing through its area. Since mid-December, a total of 12 buses have arrived in Glen Ellyn, with none recorded since Jan. 11. Furthermore, Senak highlighted state funding offered to support communities like theirs.

“This funding was intended for municipalities that are providing eligible services to asylum-seekers already living in their communities, or those having prepared plans to provide those services in the near future,” Senak said in the update.

He explained that the services include shelter, transitional housing, food, wraparound services, legal assistance, and health and wellness. The deadline for submitting a Request for Information, which should include details like proposed services and the estimated number of asylum seekers, was Jan. 31.

“Glen Ellyn will not be submitting a request for funding at this time. While the Village has been a destination for immigrant families in the past, the Village has not actively funded those efforts. Given the short application period and the absence of a detailed plan explaining how the settlement of migrants in the Village could be done without negatively impacting our community, particularly our schools, I see no reason to treat the current situation any different than how the Village has treated similar situations in the past,” Senak added.

State Rep. Terra Costa Howard (D-Glen Ellyn) sent a letter to Senak which he forwarded to the DuPage Policy Journal. In her letter, Costa Howard announced a significant funding initiative aimed at supporting municipalities outside of Chicago. She revealed that both the Illinois Department of Human Services and Metropolitan Mayors Caucus will be launching a new round of Supporting Municipalities for Asylum Seekers (SMASS) funding, totaling $11 million. Dated Jan. 19, her letter underscores an urgent need for assistance due to approximately 40,000 new arrivals from Central and South America since August of last year.

"Many of these asylum seekers are being transported to local municipalities that currently do not have the tools to handle the influx of new arrivals," Costa Howard said. “That’s why the Illinois Department of Human Services and the Metropolitan Mayors Caucus are launching a new round of Supporting Municipalities for Asylum Seekers (SMASS) funding.”

The $11 million state grant to facilitate the permanent resettlement of illegal immigrants in the community was revealed by Senak at the League of Women Voters Glen Ellyn 2024 State of the Village Annual Meeting. Senak also shared that he received this information from Costa Howard.

“So you understand what I believe that $11 million is for us to have migrants come to Glen Ellyn and locate here and settle here and remain here, and what that would entail to accomplish that,” he said, according to DuPage Policy Journal.

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson's concerns about housing undocumented immigrants have led him to seek help from suburban areas with Chicago's immigration crisis.

"He's asking us all for support, calling out the federal government," Burr Ridge Mayor Gary Grasso told NBC Chicago.

Grasso also mentioned that Johnson specifically asked for increased funding, shelter, and services for the migrants, as well as assistance from the federal government.

This request comes in response to a surge in drop-offs of undocumented immigrants in the Chicagoland area, which began in December 2023. Reports indicate that over 34,000 undocumented 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 funds to municipalities for housing and supporting undocumented immigrants. Lake County, Elgin, Oak Park, Urbana, and Chicago were among the recipients. In total, the state has earmarked a total of $500 million for the care of undocumented immigrants according to Capitol News Illinois.

Copy of State Rep. Terra Costa Howard's letter: