An Illinois county is paying illegal immigrants for making it across the border and winding up in the mess that is the Chicago area. US taxpayers already pay around $20 billion annually to support those who entered illegally, but that amount is expected to rise significantly. Although impossible to forget, this is occurring on the backdrop of serious inflation and a looming global recession. Now, lawmakers are promising Guaranteed Basic Income to this same group.
The Cook County Promise Guaranteed Income Pilot is testing Guaranteed Basic Income on 3,250 households across the county. They will each receive $500 per month with “no strings attached.” Again, free money is never free. Those eligible must be adults 250% beneath the federal poverty line or households over four earning under $69,375.
It is estimated that 36% of county residents will be permitted to apply. “Participants are free to spend the money however they see fit to meet their needs, within the bounds of the law,” the website states. “This pilot is open to all residents of Cook County, regardless of your immigration status. This means that if you are undocumented, or your household is a mixed-status household, and you meet the eligibility criteria above, you are eligible to participate. We will not share information on immigration status with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) or with the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).”
They claim the funds will come from the American Rescue Plan Act, an act funded by Americans that was intended for Americans. Welcome to modern-day America where individual counties are permitted to practice socialism at your expense.