Chicago officials finally release records on millions spent to help migrants
CHICAGO (CBS) – Next week will mark a year since buses carrying asylum seekers began arriving in Chicago.
CBS 2 spent more than six months fighting for information about how taxpayer money is being spent to help migrants. CBS 2's Lauren Victory is always investigating and shared what she's uncovered after the city finally handed over a list of invoices.
Earlier this month, CBS 2 reported on the city's blatant lack of transparency about migrant spending. The report struck a chord and received a big response on social media.
The records CBS 2 fought for six months to obtain arrived two weeks after that earlier story aired.
In February, CBS 2 filed a request under the Freedom of Information Act, or FOIA, asking for costs associated with helping asylum seekers. Earlier this month, Victory filled in Ald. Jeanette Taylor (20th) on the months-long battle with the Office of Budget and Management and how it's using taxpayer money.
Many migrants seemed to be struggling in Chicago's streets. Some sell candy to make ends meet.
So, who is the city paying to care for them? And what services are being provided? CBS 2 was told by several departments that there were no spending records.
"Somebody told them not to share those documents and that's bull****," Taylor said.
Just two weeks after CBS 2 aired that report about secrecy in City Hall, officials finally sent in the spending records.
The records included vendor names, invoice numbers, and paid amounts. The information accounted for $83 million out of the $110 million spent on migrant care so far. At least 40 different companies and organizations received money.
Check dates go back to 2022. So why did city departments say there were "no records" when CBS 2 asked about expenditures over and over for six months?
Taylor: "The city just needs to say, 'Here. This is what we spent. This is what it is.'"
Victory: "Right. Why do we have to fight tooth and nail?"
Taylor: "We shouldn't."
At any rate, CBS 2 can finally calculate some costs to care for migrants.
They include more than $159,000 for laundry, nearly $70,000 on table and chair rentals, almost $67,000 in portable toilets and sinks, and $20,000 on linens and napkins.
Another batch of bills added up to $1.3 million in security-related services.
More than half of the money goes to staffing, at least $55 million, but the list didn't include what's being paid to city employees like police.
Many questions remain, but Taylor said the release of the records is a start.
"I feel like we're starting to move in a better place, but we still need to be informed," she said.
So what took so long for the city to turn over this public information? The Office of Budget and Management had no comment on the delay, but has been answering some questions since releasing the date.
CBS 2 will continue to analyze the data as it's received.
City tax dollars covered about $44 million of the $110 million spent on migrants so far, about 40% of the costs Victory reviewed. CBS 2 is still waiting for more information about who is paying the rest.
