Multiple Children Becoming Ill at the Pilsen Migrant Shelter
Recently, there have been several complaints about children getting sick in the migrant shelter, located in the Pilsen neighborhood. In fact, according to the Borderless Mag published Maria’s, a migrant testimony saying, “the shelter has refused to give sick children medicine.” Just recently, there was the case of a 5-year-old boy that has died Sunday, Dec. 17, 2023. This occurred after the boy became ill at an overcrowded shelter in Pilsen. Unfortunately, now, this shelter is being subject of repeated complaints and concerns about the unsanitary conditions that it is in.
The police report says, that the boy previously had suffered from a seizure and had been complaining of a fever just the day before. The child was identified as, Jean Carlos Martinez. He was transported from the shelter which is specifically located within the streets, Cermak Road and Halsted Street to Comer’s Children’s Hospital just before 3 p.m. on Sunday. Martinez was pronounced deceased at 3:47 p.m. When an autopsy was conducted on the boy; the results were unclear as for the cause of death. Therefore there will be further studies, according to the Cook County Medical Examiner’s office.
Police said detectives were investigating, and said that there is no one in custody because the incident doesn’t appear to be criminal. Migrant advocates claimed that Martinez, the boy actually died in a bathroom after staff refused to call an ambulance. However, this information could not be confirmed with the police.
About the Pilsen Migrant Shelter
The shelter went from being a warehouse to now being a migrant shelter. This shelter in Pilsen has become the most crowded and overwhelming shelter in Chicago as of today. It currently holds over 2,300 recently arrived migrants. According to records from the City Council Committee on Immigrant and Refugee Rights, “all of them are families and many individuals have arrived with their babies and/or their young children.”
This particular shelter is run by Favorite Healthcare Staffing, a Kansas-based contractor that in fact, the city has awarded close to $100 million to run shelters since last year, September 2022, shortly after the first buses carrying migrants began arriving. Which is why this shelter was one of the first ones that opened for recently arrived migrants.
However, according to Borderless, “the site fails to meet the basic standards for an emergency shelter,” as detailed by the UN Refugee Agency. This shows that this migrant shelter has become or more so, has been a toxic environment for many individuals, who are consequently, suffering the effects of the conditions that it is in. Also, local Alderman of the 25th Ward, Byron Sigcho-Lopez called the recent incident of the child passing a “tragedy.”
More About the Expressed Unbearable Conditions
Furthermore, as previously stated, this facility is one of several shelters that has been the most crowded trying to accommodate the new arrivals. Their goal was also to move migrants from police stations, and other public places. By late November, it was holding more than 1,300 people. Another 1,000 migrants had been moved there this month by early December. Moreover, migrants at the shelter soon started stating complaints with reporters and advocates, alleging that it was “overcrowded with many people sick and staff indifferent to the conditions.”
Migrants have been through a lot and have encountered many challenges ever since coming to the city of Chicago. There have definitely been many support systems that have been there for them. However, on the other hand, they have experienced very poor refugee conditions. According to Chicago Sun-times, “conditions appeared similar to those at the O’Hare Airport shelter.” This demonstrates that this is not the first time they experience such terrible conditions but also in other places where they have had to live.
Mayor Brandon Johnson’s Statements
Brandon Johnson learned about the devastating incident and he offered his condolences to Martinez’s family.
My heart and my prayers go out to the Martinez family. The city will continue to provide resources and support to them during this difficult time.
However, Mayor Johnson is also very upset at the fact that the Texas Governor, Greg Abbott, sends shelter seekers to the city of Chicago under “inhumane conditions.” This demonstrates, that it might not just be the conditions that the shelters are in. They are also the conditions that they are arriving in. This issue has become also a huge contributor to their poor health conditions.
Mayor Johnson claims,
The conditions in which people are arriving in Chicago are quite disturbing. They’re showing up sick. Do you hear me? They’re showing up sick. The issue is not just how we respond in the City of Chicago, it’s the fact that we have a governor – a governor, an elected official in the state of Texas – that is placing families on buses without shoes; cold, wet, tired, hungry, afraid, traumatized.
Overall, this incident and multiple others have raised concerns and more people are advocating for it because people are desperate and frustrated with this overwhelming situation. Meanwhile, police are still investigating the cause of the death of the 5-year-old boy.
Written by Jeanette Sanchez
Sources:
Chicago Sun-Times: 5-year-old boy dies after becoming ill at Pilsen migrant shelter
CBS News Chicago: Death of 5-year-old in Pilsen raises questions about Chicago’s migrant shelters
NBC Chicago: “Several” calls of sick children reported at Pilsen shelter where 5-year-old died: CFD
ABC 7 Chicago: Migrant boy, 5, dies after becoming sick at Pilsen shelter, Chicago police say
Truthout: 5-Year-Old Boy Dies After Becoming Sick at Chicago Migrant Shelter
Featured Image Courtesy of H. Michael Miley Flickr Page-Creative Commons License
Inset Image Courtesy of Ann Althouse Flickr Page-Creative Commons License
