When asked if the state would consider a supplemental appropriation to cover costs for migrants, Gov. J.B. Pritzker says Illinois government will continue to use taxpayer-funded programs already budgeted.

Chicago has seen at least 15,000 non-citizen arrivals sent to Chicago after crossing the U.S. southern border. The city and state have already spent hundreds of millions of dollars to care for the newly arrived migrants.

Pritzker was asked this week how the state plans to keep funding available for the arrivals. Pritzker said while the state budget is balanced, they do not have any extra funds and have been forced to divert taxpayer funds from other programs.

“We have taken some of the programs that have pre-existed the crisis and adjusted them to help with the migrant crisis,” Pritzker said. “Let me give you one example, our rental assistance program. We have provided some of that rental assistance money, which wasn’t originally intended to be about asylum seekers, for this challenge.”

[Tough luck there, residents. ~ Beege]