Black Chicago voters rip mayor on extra $70M for migrants as recall petition gathers steam

Infuriated Black Chicagoans showed up in force at a City Council meeting on Wednesday to protest Mayor Brandon Johnson’s request for an additional $70 million in taxpayers' funds to be spent on tackling the city’s migrant crisis, while a petition that would give residents the right to recall the mayor is gathering serious traction.

The progressive mayor, who has vigorously defended the city’s sanctuary policies in the past, wants aldermen to greenlight the extra cash in a vote on Friday despite the Windy City having already poured $300 million into housing, food and health care for the recently arrived migrants, according to the city's latest numbers.

However, critics of the spending spree blasted the mayor during Wednesday’s gathering, where aldermen were initially expected to vote on rubber-stamping the new funds. Aldermen deferred the measure, using the council tactic to stall consideration.

"We need that money in my neighborhood, we need that money on my block," railed one Black woman wearing a red "Make America Great Again" cowboy hat. "So I’m asking ya’ll to use our tax money for our people, we need it."

Another Black woman, donning a "No More Blue Go Red" top, issued a strong warning to aldermen.

"Vote for the money for these immigrants today and we coming for those seats, you can believe that," she said. "You better be worrying about your job, you better be worrying about your longevity because we gonna vote and we gonna getcha out, 'cause you ain’t doing right by us, that’s what time it is."

The $70 million, should the full City Council approve the proposal, will be drawn from the city’s assigned fund balance from 2022, Budget Director Annette Guzman said Monday, according to the Chicago Sun-Times.

Johnson pinned the city’s financial woes on the federal government’s failure to come to its aid. City projections from late last year showed it on course to run deficits of up to $1.5 billion and $1.9 billion for 2025.... (Read more)

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