Josh McBroom, a Chicago area lawmaker from Naperville, Illinois, is preparing for an influx of illegal immigrants in his wealthy suburban town. In a proposal that has captured headlines nationwide, he seeks to create a sign-up sheet for those who support open border policies to “walk the walk” by hosting illegals in their homes.
Naperville is an affluent suburb near Chicago, boasting a median household income of $144,000, twice the average of Chicago households. Despite its historically conservative leaning in DuPage County, recent election cycles have shifted towards Democratic voting patterns, with President Biden winning by an 18-point margin in 2020.
And McBroom, concerned with the news of waves of illegals flooding Chicago and other prominent “sanctuary cities,” is urging those Biden voters to voluntarily offer their homes to house the immigrants when they inevitably reach his sleepy town. McBroom said. “Over half of the town voted for this policy. Are you gonna help out? Because we’re not going to spend tax dollars on it.”
McBroom notes that Naperville is already feeling the effects of Chicago’s overwhelming immigrant problem, especially in terms of rising crime throughout the suburb. He points to recent instances where migrants were dropped off in Naperville before being directed to Chicago. While Naperville’s current policy facilitates safe passage for migrants to Chicago for assistance, McBroom worries about the sustainability of this approach, given Chicago’s strained resources.
McBroom explains that Naperville lacks the resources to support large groups of migrants and says it’s unfair to ask taxpayers to foot the bill for housing non-residents or non-U.S. citizens. As a city councilman, he said, his main job is to protect the city budget and taxpayers’ interests, which doesn’t include providing housing for migrants.
McBroom stated that he opposes using taxpayer money to house or assist migrants. He recognized the community’s compassion and suggested finding volunteers or organizations willing to help before deciding on any official actions regarding migrant support. “We do have a very affluent community, a lot of big homes, and what I’d like to do is direct staff to create a sign-up sheet for individuals that would be willing to house migrant families,” McBroom explained.
Video of the January 16 council meeting, where McBroom first announced the sign-up sheet, quickly went viral. McBroom, a conservative, pointed out that many of his fellow conservatives misunderstood his comments due to misleading headlines suggesting he welcomed migrant families to Naperville. He clarified that his proposal was more about identifying people who support open border policies and are willing to help migrants rather than inviting migrants into the city.
He noted that some liberals’ homes in Naperville display yard signs claiming, “We Believe,” advertising the residents’ willingness to embrace progressive ideas like “no human being is illegal” and wide open borders.
During a Fox News interview, McBroom criticized Chicago’s designation as a sanctuary city, calling it an enticement for illegal migrants. He also denounced Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker’s proposal to provide grants to municipalities that offer shelter to migrants, a plan McBroom intends to oppose. He emphasized that addressing the crisis requires federal action.
McBroom expressed his belief that the open border policy is not humane, highlighting the vulnerability of migrants, including children, who were misled into difficult situations. He asserted that he did not support such policies and warned of their potentially disastrous consequences.
McBroom emphasized the limited public resources available, stating that Naperville cannot accommodate 50 or 100 families or afford their hotel stays. He also observed that it’s not within his authority to allocate taxpayer funds to house individuals who are non-U.S. citizens.
So far, McBroom hasn’t had any takers. In an interview with AM 560’s Chicago Morning Answer, he called it “weird” that he has had no response from the liberals who voted for open borders. “Since I’ve proposed this, I’ve haven’t had a single person ask me, ‘Where’s the sign-up sheet. I want to sign the sign-up sheet, I’m ready to sign my house up for the sign-up sheet.’ It’s shocking.”
McBroom urged liberals to volunteer their homes, especially since it is winter. Encouraging the town’s Biden supporters to “be the change” they voted for, he noted that liberals need to accept the consequences of their choices.
But it seems that the proposal, while receiving some support from Naperville’s city council, is unlikely to advance. It appears that for wealthy progressives, there is no immigration crisis as long as the borders of their own towns are secure.
