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Lori Lightfoot, the mayor of Chicago, affirmed yesterday that undocumented individuals can apply for city aid, including aid designed to help small businesses stay open.
For restaurants, perhaps the most important element is the $100 million Chicago Small Business Resiliency Fund, which is designed to help small businesses survive the coronavirus crisis. Recipients of low-interest loans from this fund, and other city funds, will not be chosen based upon citizenship status or origin of birth, Lightfoot's executive order states. Interested business owners can begin applying for the loans at: www.chicagoresiliencyfund.com.
“Most individuals in our immigrant community labor in industries pummeled by the COVID-19 crisis, such as restaurants and hotels. Although many of these workers collectively pay billions of dollars in taxes, they are excluded from the federal aid package signed by Congress. We must meet this moment together; no one should be excluded. I thank Mayor Lightfoot for ensuring that everyone in Chicago has somewhere to turn to for support,” said 12th Ward Alderman George Cardenas.