The Chicago City Council on Wednesday approved $51 million in spending to help illegal immigrants in the city. This measure infuriated Black activists, who lashed out against Mayor Brandon Johnson and said that first "We have to take care of our community, we have to take care of our Black community."
Carolina Ruff, founder of Black Lives Matter Women of Faith in the city, stressed that "We have not gotten anything for our community and we are sick and tired … enough is enough." The activist insisted that "we have not opened up the schools for our homeless, we see them in the streets every day, I make sure that the homeless are fed with clothing."
"How dare this mayor?"
Andre Smith, CEO of Chicago Against Violence was even more blunt: "How dare this mayor and city council have the guts to give migrants $51 million. I demand you to have the same passion and urgency to pass a City of Chicago reparations order and also give us an office for Black Americans, just like the new Americans." Smith claimed that he, along with another man, tried to stop a bus with undocumented immigrants and ended up being detained by law enforcement.
Chicago is an absolute disaster:
"How dare this mayor and city council have the guts to give migrants $51 million dollars. I demand you to have the same passion and urgency to pass a city of Chicago reparations order."pic.twitter.com/dxxwl1Ut1B
— Citizen Free Press (@CitizenFreePres) May 31, 2023
Smith told the mayor that "our ancestors are looking at us and holding us accountable, don’t say you black if you not gonna put your pen where your mouth is. We didn’t have the luxury or the opportunity to cross the border. We didn’t have the privilege to cross the border. We came over here being raped, stolen, beaten, chained in the bottom of ships, and you give migrants $51 million? Have you forgot who you are?"
