A Winnebago County Board committee is considering a resolution to not provide financial support to any newly arrived migrants outside of transportation out of the county.

“We want to make sure the asylum seekers, migrants are able to get to the landing zone of Chicago safely,” said Operations Committee chair Keith McDonald, R-6.

McDonald said other needs could be met by nonprofits that have expressed a willingness to help.

“As Chairman (Joe) Chiarelli stated, he’s been reached out to by several churches and nonprofits who are willing to help feed and stuff like that. So, we don’t feel this is something we have to worry about just yet.”

More: What happened the night a plane filled with asylum seekers landed in Rockford?

Local immigration attorney Sara Dady sees several problems with the proposed resolution.

“I think my first concern is that the Supreme Court has already said that states cannot discriminate on the basis of citizenship status and distributing public benefits,” Dady said. “Number two, I think it’s not helpful to use inflammatory language about people in general, and certainly not people who are coming into the United States legally and who are in a legal process and need help.

“We could certainly stand to have an increase in a population of people who are authorized to work and want to work and want to settle here and have a life and live in peace and safety. … So, instead of viewing this as an opportunity and a benefit to the county, this resolution is viewing people who are vulnerable and who need some help as some kind of a threat in order to send a message to I don’t know who.”

The resolution states the county will not use its cash reserves, “including any available money in its emergency fund, for housing, medical, or other needs of migrant, asylum seeker, or refugee populations” with the exception of costs related to transportation to the landing zone in Chicago and “essential care.”

In December, a plane carrying migrants from Texas landed at the Chicago Rockford International Airport. The migrants were put on buses and taken to Chicago.

Angela Fellars, D-19, also questions the intent and need for the resolution.

“While I understand and share the county Republican Caucus’ frustration with federal Republicans not passing immigration reform, I do not believe this is the arena for the Winnebago County Board,” she said. “We should be focusing on crime, property taxes and economic development because that’s what our residents care about.”

Chris Green is a Rockford Register Star general assignment reporter. He can be reached at 815-987-1241, via email at cgreen@rrstar.com and Twitter @chrisfgreen

This article originally appeared on Rockford Register Star: Rockford area leaders seek limits on spending to help migrants