Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson announced that the city is projected to face a budget deficit of about $538 million by 2024. According to the official document, called Chicago Budget Forecast, this negative burden is due to several factors, including:
Rising personnel, pension, and contractual costs, as well as the cost to care for new migrants arriving to the city.
2024 Chicago Budget Forecast by Veronica Silveri on Scribd
More than $200 million of the deficit stems from special plans aimed at cleaning up the sanctuary city's illegal immigration crisis. According to a statement from his office: "The Johnson administration anticipates costs to support the new arrivals mission to increase in 2024."
Mayor Brandon Johnson's management
Johnson declared that the city's financial situation is "inherited," (referring to the management of former Mayor Lori Lightfoot) and acknowledged that "the projected budget gap paints a realistic picture of our city’s financial condition."
Chicago is experiencing a serious crime, drug and homelessness crisis. In addition, the migration crisis that has evolved over the last year has brought more than 13,500 asylum seekers to the city. More than 6,500 of them live in shelters, about 1,500 sleep at police stations and more than 400 live at O'Hare International Airport.
The crisis has gotten so bad that Johnson has repeatedly warned that the city cannot take in more immigrants "without significant support and changes in immigration policy." (These warnings are reflected in the large budget deficit.)
