Where things stand with the Joliet Township grant for asylum seekers

Joliet — Joliet Township was awarded an $8.6 million grant for migrant services from the State of Illinois on Sept. 29 to assist in the cost of taking in asylum seekers from Venezuela and Central America.

The announcement of the news has been met with confusion and outrage by many in the city, who expressed concern about the impact the influx of immigrants will have on the community and public services.

City of Joliet makes statement staff was aware of grant

The city of Joliet acknowledged Thursday that its staff was aware of the state grant to provide services for asylum seekers but officials stressed the grant application was done without their knowledge or approval.

In a statement released Thursday afternoon, interim City Manager Ron Tonelli said the city received a “notice of funding opportunity” regarding the grant Aug. 9. The city also acknowledged a meeting was held Sept. 1 among its staff, the township, the Spanish Community Center and the Will-Grundy Medical Clinic.

“A general discussion was held regarding the current pressures placed on these agencies from asylum seekers currently in the community and whether this grant would help stabilize the financial burden placed on the community,” according to the city’s statement.

On Sept. 29, Gov. JB Pritzker announced the township would receive a $8.6 million grant.

City officials said they were aware that Joliet Township, the Spanish Community Center and the Will-Grundy Medical Clinic intended to have “additional conversations” regarding the grant, according to the statement.

“The city of Joliet provided no input in Joliet Township’s grant application,” according to the statement.

Joliet Mayor Terry D’Arcy said Thursday there were city staff who aware there was a grant available before Sept. 29 but it did not mean anyone from the city applied for any grants.

“I didn’t sign the grant, and I didn’t know the grant was being applied for,” D’Arcy said.

D’Arcy has noted the grant application had listed his office and Joliet Fire Department as local supporters, which he has called “almost a fraud.”

“This is Angel Contreras [Joliet Township supervisor] doing something that he shouldn’t have done,” D’Arcy said.

In a statement, Tonelli said he does not support Joliet Township’s grant application.

“In the future, the city will continue to partner on funding opportunities with our governmental and community partners that benefit the residents and businesses of Joliet. The mayor’s strong request that Joliet Township withdraw the application stands,” according to the statement.

Joliet Township supervisor defends grant

On Wednesday, Contreras defended the grant. He told the Herald-News the grant would be used to fund services already being provided to asylum seekers by the Spanish Community Center and Will-Grundy Medical Clinic.

Contreras said asylum seekers being bused into the Chicago area are finding their way to Joliet and other suburban areas. The Spanish Community Center in Joliet has done casework for 2,200 asylum seekers since August 2022, he said.

Contreras did not comment Wednesday as to why he did not speak sooner and whether the city of Joliet or any other local government was aware the township was pursuing the grant. He said he would address those questions in “the near future.”

Concerns about strained medical services

One prominent concern about the incoming migrants was the impact the additional population would have on medical services, particularly at emergency centers.

Beth Corsetti, a nurse at Ascension Saint Joseph - Joliet, the only hospital in the city of Joliet, expressed her worries about the situation given the ongoing labor struggles at the hospital between Ascension and the union representing its nurses.

“I was shocked when I heard the news,” Corsetti said. “We have a staffing crisis at the hospital, and I’m concerned for patient safety. I’m all for helping the asylum seekers, but we just don’t have the staff to care for everyone. Everyone deserves dignity, respect, and proper health care no matter who they are, but we already have patients waiting in the emergency room for over 24 hours waiting for beds. It’s scary to think about what will happen if hundreds or thousands more people come into the community who need health care.”

Corsetti is a member of the union’s contract action and contract communications committees and has been attending the negotiations for a new contract, which have been going on since May. Although she said the union had not had time to officially discuss the immigration announcement, other nurses shared her concerns.

The ongoing labor dispute, which is set to enter a new round of bargaining on Oct. 6, has been at a standstill for months as nurses demand higher pay and more staffing to effectively recruit new hires.

“Nobody is coming in here because they can go across town and make $10 per hour more at Silver Cross,” Corsetti said of the labor shortage. “They haven’t been able to replace the 350 nurses we’ve lost in the last three years and the only way to bring more people in and retain the ones they have is to increase pay.”

Corsetti noted that the nurses currently at Ascension Saint Joseph - Joliet are taking on extra responsibilities to care for the patients they already have and would likely face burnout if the system were to become more strapped.

Calls made to the administration at Ascension Saint Joseph - Joliet Hospital for comment were not returned.

Some of that stress could be alleviated by the grant funding, if it is accepted. The initial grant proposal submitted on Sept. 15 by the township suggests that the township planned to partner with the Will-Grundy Medical Clinic Health Housing and Hope program, 213 E Cass St., Joliet, to create a “Welcoming Clinic” for asylum seekers.

This clinic would provide basic services including physicals, wellness and disease prevention services, therapy, medication, and basic dental care, as well as over the counter medications and hygiene products for incoming individuals and families.

However, the clinic would be located near Ascension Saint Joseph and part of the plan entailed the clinic contracting with the hospital for lab and diagnostic testing services.

While the clinic would address non-emergency care for incoming families, the additional testing and the potential for more necessary extensive care for clinic patients could put strain on the already overburdened facility and its staff.