In the Democratic stronghold of Chicago, currently hosting the nomination ceremony for presidential candidate Kamala Harris, immigration politics has stirred up controversy, thus unveiling a potential weak spot for her campaign. In these settings, certain factions have begun emphasizing the detrimental impact of immigration on the African American working class, a sentiment that has generally elicited minimal support and even prompted ridicule in certain instances. The unique friction in Chicago’s African American communities related to immigration steers clear of employment but instead emphasizes the effects on already strained public finances. The communities struggling to secure enough finances for their development projects are expressing discontent regarding the substantial funds used to accommodate newcomers.
This scenario points out potential challenges for Harris, as immigration issues rise to the forefront of election conversations, and not just in reliably Democratic states like Illinois but in battleground states as well. Trump, the Republican nominee, maintains minor dominance in surveys questioning who could better manage the situation. His campaign seeks to brand Vice President Harris as an ineffective ‘border czar’ during her term under President Joe Biden and aims to amplify this narrative among potential voters, including African American voters. With Harris aiming to secure her place in history as the inaugural Black or Asian female President, her approval ratings among African American voters are extremely high.
Chicago is regularly depicted by Republican politicians as a prime example of the failures of Democratic governance, alluding to crime rate, corruption, and economic difficulties. Their current critique includes the city’s handling of its immigration crisis. Kamala Harris, in her campaign, made promises to ‘mend the broken immigration system’, advocating for border reform, devising pathways to citizenship, and attempting to revive the Republicans-blocked immigration reforms
During a convention side meeting with Bloomberg News, North Carolina’s Democratic Governor Roy Cooper highlighted Harris as a proactive problem solver who has made attempts to provide solutions. Immigration in Chicago has surged since 2022, with incoming migrants numbering over 46,000, of which roughly 37,000 were transported by Texas Governor Greg Abbott. The anticipated influx of more migrants coinciding with the convention has not occurred, and approximately 5,500 of them presently reside in the city and state-run shelters, which number 17.
Chicago is proposedly allocating upwards of $400 million in managing the migration dilemma, which is resulting in increased pressure on the already overburdened city budget. The funding deficit is predicted to expand nearly $1 billion in the following year, intensifying a longstanding dispute over resources. The city administration is faced with difficult choices, considering the urgent need for financial backing for pressing matters like homelessness, crime, and economic recovery.
Illinois Governor, JB Pritzker, recognized the continuous scramble for resources, particularly in high-poverty neighborhoods lacking secure job opportunities. In an interview, he underscored his support for small business investment since his initial term in 2019, as well as his efforts in increasing the state’s minimum wage. Projected to reach $15 an hour next year, this wage hike is largely benefiting Black female workers, according to Pritzker.
Addressing the crisis dealt by another state’s governance, Pritzker mentions the necessary actions taken by the state. As stated by Pritzker, ‘We fulfilled our duty to respond appropriately. We only provided necessary sustenance and shelter. We weren’t distributing extravagant sums of money to individuals.’
Over the last 40 years, the city’s work sectors, particularly those that are predominant in traditionally Black areas such as manufacturing, have seen substantial declines. This has been accompanied by mass unemployment and surging crime rates, which have resulted in a significant exodus of African Americans from the city. Presently, African Americans account for approximately 29% of Chicago’s population, a reduction from the 40% some decades prior.
Desmon Yancy, the city’s Fifth Ward Alderperson, identified his vote towards the $70 million initiative aimed at migrant care as a difficult but necessary decision. In his op-ed for the Chicago Sun-Times, Yancy expressed ‘The investment felt unjust when juxtaposed against the marginal investments sought by Black leaders and continually refused. If we can allocate these resources to one community of color, we should certainly be able to do the same for our local Black residents.’
This shared sentiment was reiterated by Alderperson Jessie Fuentes during a council committee meeting on immigrant and refugee rights in late July; ‘Over the past year, we’ve been compelled to make difficult decisions and engage in divisive conversations while contending with pronounced disinvestment in Black Chicago.’
During Trump’s initial term, Chicago came under national scrutiny due to its status as a ‘sanctuary city’ and chose not to support the federal administration’s stringent measures on illegal immigration. This implied that unless suspected individuals had known affiliations with gangs or had committed violent crimes, the local government refrained from cooperating with immigration authorities. Trump has pledged even more radical measures should he secure victory in the upcoming elections, including sealing the border and carrying out mass deportations of undocumented immigrants.
Earlier in his presidency, Biden primarily focused on the root causes of immigration and assigned Harris the task of collaborating with Central American nations to reduce migrant flow. However, under pressure from the Republican party and certain voter groups, the administration has adopted a stricter approach. In June, Biden signed an executive order with the aim of restricting asylum claims at the US-Mexico border.
In acknowledgment of the reservations expressed by some groups in light of the city’s handling of the crisis, Beatriz Ponce de León, Chicago’s Deputy Mayor for Immigrant Rights, stated ‘certain groups make us aware that they feel perhaps overlooked or neglected’ However, she asserts that the city has been largely successful in welcoming new migrants ‘with the full picture in mind’ without reallocating funds intended for other communities. ‘It’s not an either-or circumstance; it’s an inclusive approach’, stated Ponce de León.
Despite achieving historical lows in the nationwide rates of African American unemployment last year, Chicago’s unemployment figure remains above 10%, though there have been improvements recently. An Ipsos survey revealed that over 40% of Black voters believe American hires should be prioritized during periods of job scarcity, while only 14% disagreed.
While the common belief exists that foreign-born workers snatch jobs away from Americans, most economists argue that they contribute to economic growth through consumption and tax payments. Additionally, more newly arrived migrants are gaining legal authorization to work as the government accelerates work permit applications for asylum seekers.
Research by economist Kyle Moore of the left-leaning Economic Policy Institute reveals Illinois as one of the states with the highest rate of African American unemployment in the country. However, he claims these issues originate from long-standing problems rather than recent immigration, stating ‘There’s no new situation taking jobs away from Black citizens.’