State Senate Republicans demand more transparency in migrant welfare spending

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WAND) — State Senate Republicans urge to add more transparency to the amount of taxpayer money being spent in migrant welfare programs.

A bill filed by Senate Minority Leader John Curran (R-Lemont) would force the state to file an annual report detailing all state spending on services for migrants.

Illinois has a few state programs that are dedicated to migrants, such as Health Benefits for Adults, which gives medical coverage to people ages 42-64 regardless of immigration status.

This healthcare program paused new applications in 2024 after being overwhelmed with the amount of applications. Still, the people who entered before the paused are still covered.

With the Governors budget address on February 19, State Sen. Jil Tracy (R-Quincy) says that Gov. JB Pritzker should allow Republicans to work alongside Democrats with plans such as these.

"The Governor must know that if we work together we work better," Tracy said. "Leaving lawmakers out of these decisions is ignoring the voice of Illinoisians.

Illinois is facing a $3.2 billion dollar budget deficit this year, with less money coming in from sales tax and no more federal covid relief funds.

State Sen. Dave Syverson (R-Cherry Valley) says Illinois has a spending problem, not a revenue problem.

"We have a budget hole fuelled by years of bad spending and decisions by the Governor and the ruling party," Syverson said.

Illinois House Republicans came out on Tuesday saying the state needs to cut funding to migrant welfare programs.

The bill is in the assignments committee, where it will need Democrat support for any hope of the plan to be signed into law.