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1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, Over the past several years, elected officials in
3Illinois have passed a series of reforms intended to publicly
4show that Illinois is a safe haven for migrants; and
 
5    WHEREAS, In 2017, the General Assembly passed the Illinois
6TRUST Act, which prohibits law enforcement from using or
7inquiring about a person's immigration status as part of their
8investigatory duties and prohibits local law enforcement from
9working with agents from U.S. Immigration and Customs
10Enforcement (ICE); and
 
11    WHEREAS, Between 2020 and 2022, under Governor JB
12Pritzker, the majority party in the legislature implemented a
13series of healthcare coverage expansions for low-income
14immigrant seniors and adults; and
 
15    WHEREAS, The true cost of this healthcare on state
16taxpayers was unknown to the general public until late March
172023 when the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family
18Services (HFS) released a report by its contracted actuary
19that highlighted the significant costs associated with the
20healthcare expansion; and
 
21    WHEREAS, HFS paused enrollment related to Medicaid

 

 

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1benefits for undocumented immigrant seniors and adults as of
2November 6, 2023 and July 1, 2023, respectively; and
 
3    WHEREAS, HFS released information dated December 14, 2023
4that showed dramatic growth in the Medicaid program for
5undocumented immigrants, which will potentially require $792
6million in general revenue funds (GRF) in State Fiscal Year
7(FY) 2024; and
 
8    WHEREAS, Despite pauses to new enrollees, FY 2024 cost
9projections still exceed FY 2024 appropriations by over $242
10million; and
 
11    WHEREAS, Aside from Medicaid, Illinois has provided or
12committed over $638 million in funding to address the crisis
13involving asylum seekers since August 2022; and
 
14    WHEREAS, The funding has been provided through programs at
15HFS, the Illinois Department of Human Services, the Illinois
16Emergency Management Agency, and the Illinois Housing
17Development Authority; and
 
18    WHEREAS, The funding includes $115 million in direct
19funding from the State to the City of Chicago for asylum seeker
20support services, food, and shelter, and to municipalities to
21support asylum seekers statewide; and
 

 

 

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1    WHEREAS, On November 16, 2023, Governor Pritzker announced
2new additional State investments, via the Illinois Department
3of Human Services, totaling $160 million to fund winterized
4base camps and welcoming centers and to provide services to
5asylum seekers as they await hearings; and
 
6    WHEREAS, The House of Representatives believes there
7should be more transparency in how State funds are used to fund
8asylum seekers and undocumented immigrants here in Illinois;
9therefore, be it
 
10    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE
11HUNDRED THIRD GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
12we direct the Auditor General to conduct a performance audit
13of the State spending on asylum seekers and undocumented
14immigrants, and the audit shall include:
15        (1) A review of the Illinois Department of Healthcare
16    and Family Services' program enrollment numbers and amount
17    of money expended for fiscal years 2022, 2023, and 2024 on
18    Medicaid services for asylum seekers and undocumented
19    immigrants; and
20        (2) A comprehensive analysis of any spending by any
21    State agency on asylum seekers and undocumented immigrants
22    for fiscal years 2022, 2023, and 2024; and be it further
 

 

 

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1    RESOLVED, That we urge the Illinois Department of
2Healthcare and Family Services, the Illinois Department of
3Human Services, the Illinois Emergency Management Agency, the
4Illinois Housing Development Authority, and any other entity
5having information relevant to the audit to cooperate fully
6and promptly with the Office of the Auditor General in the
7conduct of this audit; and be it further
 
8    RESOLVED, That we direct the Auditor General to commence
9this audit as soon as possible and report his findings and
10recommendations upon completion in accordance with the
11provisions of Section 3-14 of the Illinois State Auditing Act;
12and be it further
 
13    RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be
14delivered to Governor JB Pritzker, Speaker of the House
15Emanuel "Chris" Welch, President of the Senate Don Harmon,
16House Minority Leader Tony McCombie, and Senate Minority
17Leader John Curran.