Chicagoans want answers after city pays outside vendor $93M for migrant care

[LAUREN]

138 MILLION DOLLARS.

THAT’S HOW MUCH CHICAGO HAS PAID VENDORS TO PROVIDE CARE FOR MIGRANTS FOR JUST OVER A YEAR DURING THE ONGOING U.S. IMMIGRATION CRISIS.

NOW THE CITY IS FACING MOUNTING CRITICISM–

FOR DOLING OUT NEARLY MORE THAN 90 MILLION DOLLARS TO A KANSAS FIRM–

WHILE LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS RECEIVED FAR LESS FUNDING.

KANSAS-BASED FAVORITE HEALTHCARE IS OWNED BY A U.K. BASED ORGANIZATION KNOWN AS THE ACACIUM GROUP, AXIOS REPORTED. 

CHICAGO OFFICIALS HAVE ACCUSED FAVORITE OF CHARGING TAXPAYERS “EXORBITANT” FEES.

INVOICES SHOW THE COMPANY BILLING CHICAGO 50 DOLLARS PER HOUR FOR TRASH RUNNERS–

AND 180 DOLLARS PER HOUR FOR SITE MANAGERS.

OF THE 138 MILLION CHICAGO PAID OUT TO VENDORS FOR MIGRANT CARE, FAVORITE HEALTHCARE STAFFING RECEIVED 93 MILLION –

68 PERCENT OF THE OVERALL FUNDING, CBS CHICAGO REPORTED.

LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS RECEIVED 24 MILLION.

LOCAL LAWMAKERS WANT MORE LOCALS HIRED INSTEAD OF SENDING MONEY OUT OF THE CITY/..

THE IMMIGRATION COMMITTEE CHAIR ALDER ANDRE VASQUEZ TOLD AXIOS:

“WE WANT MORE ACCOUNTABILITY. WE WANT TO KNOW HOW MUCH MONEY THE COMPANY IS KEEPING VERSUS GIVING THE WORKER, WHO THEY’RE HIRING, HOW THEY’RE HIRING AND WHO GETS PROMOTED, ESPECIALLY IF WE’RE PUTTING IN THIS MANY DOLLARS.”

HOWEVER, FAVORITE IS NOT RELEASING THOSE DETAILS SAYING THE COMPANY IS “CONTRACTUALLY FORBIDDEN FROM COMMENTING ON ITS CITY WORK.”

IN 2022, THEN-MAYOR LORI LIGHTFOOT SINGED THE INITIAL DEAL WITH “FAVORITE” FOR 57 MILLION DOLLARS.

THE CITY INCREASED THE CONTRACT IN OCTOBER–

ADDING 36 MILLION DOLLARS.

THE CITY, AXIOS SAID, VOWED THAT BY THE FIRST WEEK OF DECEMBER IT WOULD HIRE LOCAL VENDORS TO RUN THE MIGRANT SHELTERS, BUT IT IS STILL PAYING “FAVORITE” TO RUN ALL 27 FACILITIES.

MAYOR BRANDON NOW SAYS LOCAL VENDORS WILL REPLACE FAVORITE “SOON.”

BUT IT’S NOT THE ONLY SCRUTINY THE CITY IS UNDER.

THE CITY PAID NEARLY A MILLION DOLLARS IN FEES FOR A FAILED MIGRANT CAMP IN BRIGHTON PARK THAT WOULD’VE FEATURED WINTERIZED TENTS FOR MIGRANTS.

THE GOVERNOR SHUT IT DOWN IN THE MIDST OF CONSTRUCTION BECAUSE OF CONTAMINATION CONCERNS.

THE CITY IS ALSO PAYING DEVELOPERS AND CONTRACTORS HIGH RENTS TO HOST MIGRANT SHELTERS.

THE CITY HAS BEEN SEEN A LARGE NUMBER OF IMMIGRANTS SINCE AUGUST OF 20-22.

NEWSWEEK SAYS THAT MORE THAN 25-THOUSAND MIGRANTS HAVE ARRIVED IN CHICAGO IN THE PAST 16 MONTHS.