ST. LOUIS (KMOX) - Illinois is facing an immigrant surge that has overwhelmed the state, especially in Chicago.
Thousands of migrants, mainly from Venezuela, have been arriving in Illinois and Chicago for more than a year and new warnings claims that thousands more could be sent to the region in the coming months.
The concerns are real from citizens of Chicago to lawmakers in the state.
Illinois State Senator Jason Plummer(R), who represents Edwardsville, joined "Hancock and Kelley" Friday to discuss the immigrant surge in Chicago, along with his concerns for how it happened.
Plummer says the biggest issue that comes with the surge is how significantly it can affect the state's budget.
"(Illinois Gov. J. B. Pritzker) pounded his chest that he passed a balanced budget all these things are great, but people like me said 'basic arithmetic shows that the budget isn't balanced no matter how many different type of gymnastics you try to play with the numbers'," said Plummer, "Here we are a few months later, that there's not enough funding for this issue, the ask me pay raises that we can't and this immigrant health care issue that has absolutely exploded."
Plummer says that Illinois is already a billion dollars 'out of wack' already and potentially, the number could grow even worst.
"Frankly, this is an issue that we created and the federal government can't afford to bail out 50 Illinois's," said Plummer.
Plummer admits he worried about the next 10 years for the state of Illinois and how the state keeps bumping into issues and issues and whether it is sustainable.
"I'm a businessman, I don't think about the next quarter, I think about the next 10 years," said Plummer, "Illinois kinds of bumps and grinds from crisis to crisis instead of sitting of planning long term. This immigrant situation is a perfect example."