Migrants in Chicago
Since many new migrants arrive in Chicago daily, the need for shelter and resources continues to grow.
Migrants are sent to Chicago because of the belief that residents will welcome them and provide resources. Since 2022, over 17,000 migrants have struggled with finding housing.
Mayor Brandon Johnson is attempting to move the city into a new phase in order to help migrants. He plans on using base camps, airports, and police stations as shelter for migrants.
The rate of migration to Chicago has increased drastically. Furthermore, the city is expecting over 25 buses of migrants arriving each day in the near future. Yet, the city remains unsupported. Tens of thousands of asylum seekers have undertaken a dangerous and difficult journey in hopes of finding safety and a better life.
As of now, there are ten buses a day with about 50 passengers. This week the city will begin to see more coming from Texas. The state has already spent over $330 million to aid migrants, but demands continue to increase.
Temporary shelter in Pilsen
In a community meeting, Pilsen residents agreed to open a new shelter for asylum seekers. Today, a warehouse located at 2241 South Halsted, is expected to start housing migrants. 
During the first phase of opening, 400 migrants will be housed there. Those being housed are mostly comprised of families with children. However, the second phase is expected to house 1,000 people.
Many people gathered at Benito Juarez Community Academy’s auditorium to speak about the new shelter. The meeting consisted of residents, Officials with the Department of Family and Support Services, Chicago Public Schools, and the Chicago Police Department. Many residents of the neighborhood sympathized with this decision but wondered why earlier migrants weren’t receiving the same help.
Byron Sigcho-Lopez (25th) told the hundreds of participants that many migrants are forced to stay in cramped conditions at police stations across the city. He continues his speech explaining about how as a community they are saving lives.
During Sigcho-Lopez’s speech, he was loudly interrupted by residents. They questioned him about why property taxes were so high. Others expressed their problems and one asked for $6,000 of the funds for asylum seekers so he could pay his property tax.
In the mix of these new arrivals, property tax has more than tripled for Pilsen residents. This caused many residents to be angry.
Mayor Brandon Johnson
Having inherited the crisis of thousands of migrants being bused to the city, Johnson pushed to move away from “emergency mode.” This includes housing migrants in police stations and airports. Johnson’s goal is to utilize city-owned, vacant buildings and buy up new ones that could house up-coming arrivals.
Since the city hasn’t been able to open shelters fast enough to keep up with the steady pace of new arrivals, Brandon Johnson plans to open “tent-like cities” for struggling migrants. These will be equipped with cots, air conditioning, heating, and on-site or nearby showers.
These structures will be like prefabricated buildings, constructed with metal walls. Furthermore, they are planned to be opened as soon as possible. However, there is no confirmed date.
Brandon Johnson, along with Gov. JB Pritzker, has asked the White House for more help with organizing and providing for new arrivals.
By Jamarion Thomas
Sources:
Chicago Sun-Times: Pritzker presses Biden for more help as migrant buses double: ‘Illinois stands mostly unsupported against this enormous strain’
NBC Chicago: New temporary migrant shelters set for Austin, Pilsen as multiple buses arrive daily
WBEZ: Here’s what we know about Mayor Brandon Johnson’s plan to set up migrant ‘base camps’
First and featured image courtesy of Nick M‘s Flickr page – Creative Commone
insert image courtesy of Paul Sableman‘s Flickr page – Creative Commons License
