Illinois GOP Lawmaker Admits to Supporting $1B Tax Increase to Fund Migrant Assistance

A Republican Illinois state senator has criticized the approval of a $53.1 billion budget by the Democrat-controlled Legislature, alleging that nearly $1 billion in taxes were raised solely to be spent on illegal immigrants who have entered the state due to President Joe Biden’s open border policies.

“We just passed the largest budget in Illinois state history,” state Sen. Dan McConchie said in a video posted on X. “Over $53 billion. It includes almost $1 billion in tax increases and nearly $1 billion on the migrant crisis.

“So, we actually raised your taxes just to spend on migrants. Now, there are some good things the budget does, but a lot of things are just very much out of whack. I voted no.”

The revenue package includes nearly $1.1 billion in tax increases, The Springfield State Journal Register reported, including a hike on sports wagering and video gaming taxes with an extended cap on corporate net operating losses.

The state Senate approved the budget Sunday by a 38-21 vote along party lines. On Wednesday, the House followed suit with a 65-45 vote, with seven Democrats from downstate and suburban areas joining Republicans in opposition.

The budget allocates $182 million for services for tens of thousands of migrants seeking asylum in the U.S., many of whom were bused from Texas after crossing the border illegally, and $440 million for health care for noncitizens, WMAQ-TV in Chicago reported.

According to WTTW-TV in Chicago, over 800 buses have arrived in Chicago from Texas since August 2022, dropping off migrants mostly seeking asylum from Venezuela. In total, 35,692 migrants have entered Chicago, as per city data.

Illinois initially spent $478 million in response to the influx of migrants.