By: Diane Benjamin

Two of the previous stories in case you forgot:

Is There Fraud In Illinois Child Care Spending?

You Are Paying Child Care Costs For Illegal Aliens

The INCCRRA website has a data request form and a list of what information can be requested. See this link: https://www.inccrra.org/images/datareports/04-07-16_Data_Request_Form.pdf

I requested data for McLean County that is listed on THEIR data request form:

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Just to be clear:

-I requested data using their form

-I mailed the request as stated on the form (I quit using fax machines decades ago)

-I requested data THEIR form states is available

Surprise!

The local Towanda Plaza office isn’t authorized to release what their form states is available.

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With this response INCCRRA is proving fraud does exist in Illinois. The fraud could just be lies on their website. It could also be tax dollars spent in ways nobody voted for.

A non-transparent NGO doesn’t alarm government representatives and all taxpayers? Maybe the agenda was never helping struggling families afford child care.

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Now add this story: https://www.wglt.org/local-news/2026-02-02/edc-and-ywca-call-for-big-public-private-investment-in-childcare

The first linked story above shows almost $4 billion dollars is spent by Illinois on child care. That money can subsidize providers. I know a little more about where some of that money went, eventually I’ll do that story.

The second linked story above shows being in Illinois illegally isn’t an obstacle to receiving reduced cost child care. Quote from the Illinois Cares For Kids website:

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No, you do not need to have U.S. citizenship to apply and receive Child Care Assistance in Illinois.

Applying for or receiving Child Care Assistance will not affect immigration status. Your child does not need citizenship to get benefits.

On the application, you will be asked about the citizenship status of your children enrolled in child care. This is to figure out the correct funding and is not considered for CCAP eligibility.

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I realize common sense and Illinois government have absolutely nothing in common.

Try pretending citizens actually matter. Try pretending taxpayers shouldn’t be forced to fund handouts for people who broke the law to get here. How much more money would Illinois citizens have if illegal immigrants weren’t siphoning off part of it?

The WGLT story completely ignored the money Illinois already spends on Child Care Assistance. Why no interviews with INCCRRA or Excelerate? Both are local organizations. Were they just too hard to schedule since both operate by appointment only?

INCCRRA is: Illinois Network of Child Care Resource & Referral Agencies

This statement is on their data request form website:

INCCRRA’s data request policies and procedures have been approved by the Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS).

I did ask Rebecca Livengood for an explanation since her denial is the opposite. If she responds I will let you know.

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From personal experience, I can tell you that Illinois makes opening a daycare almost impossible due to an overwhelming amount of red tape.

Rather than researching how other states subsidize child care providers, look into how other states regulate them.