* Alice Yin at the Tribune…
Mayor Brandon Johnson’s ongoing calls for Gov. J.B. Pritzker to build more migrant shelters took a new turn Wednesday as he indicated additional sites should be located outside Chicago, even with state funding. […]
Pritzker on Monday said the Johnson administration had not told the state “where they would like us to put our resources” to build new shelters, “so we can’t help if they don’t identify those locations.”
Johnson countered Wednesday that “the state has received a number of locations that they can build a shelter at.” He did not elaborate. But city officials said they have recommended to Pritzker’s administration potential sites outside Chicago, sometimes with specific buildings in mind, a notion the governor’s office disputes.
“And you know, again, just keep in mind that the state of Illinois can build a shelter anywhere in the state of Illinois. So, the state does not have to build a shelter in Chicago,” he said.
* The full Pritzker administration response to the Tribune’s story…
As the Governor said Monday, we have repeatedly asked the city for alternate locations after their Brighton Park location did not pan out. We are still waiting for the city to identify those locations and remain committed to assisting them as soon as possible.
While some municipalities have received funding to help with asylum seeker resettlement in their communities, the vast majority of the funding for this mission has been invested in the City of Chicago. The hundreds of millions of dollars invested to create the emergency infrastructure for this mission and provide the wraparound services this population needs are based in the City of Chicago.
* Justin Laurence at Crain’s…
“Shelters do not solely have to be set up in the city of Chicago,” Johnson said at his post-City Council press conference. The [mayor’s] comments come on the heels of Pritzker saying he was “deeply concerned” over the city’s declaration that it would no longer open shelters to add to the ad-hoc network of 28 migrant shelters. […]
Johnson was asked Jan. 24 whether the city would again extend the 60-day notice deadline for migrants living in the city’s shelters, which was previously extended to Feb. 1.
Without answering whether it would be extended, Johnson said the announcement of the 60-day notice policy was made in tandem with Pritzker committing $65 million to fund shelter space for 2,200 beds.
“That process has not moved as quickly as this policy will hold,” he said.
Two thousand of those 2,200 beds were supposed to be at the Brighton Park tent city. But the proposal was scrapped after the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency decided that a formal release letter stating no further environmental mediation at the site was necessary could not be issued because of outstanding pollution problems.
No similar site has since been approved.
* WTTW…
By the end of February, city officials are set to evict 6,239 migrants from city shelters, according to city data.
Johnson acknowledged Wednesday that the group of people set to be evicted likely includes 1,700 children, who could have to change schools in the middle of the academic year.
“There are no easy answers to any of this,” Johnson said.
Several times, Johnson said state officials could open new shelters outside of Chicago at any time and noted that in the early months of the crisis, the state paid for thousands of migrants to stay in hotels across the city and suburbs.
* ABC 7…
Earlier this week Johnson met with about 25 suburban mayors to ask for help with the crisis in any way they can.
So far, nobody has said what those suburban mayors agreed to do, if anything.
* From Isabel…
* Pioneer Press | Oak Park gets additional money to house migrants through February, extending its eviction deadline by a month: The village is also expected to seek $1.9 million in funding from the Metropolitan Mayors Caucus for Supporting Municipalities for Asylum Seeker Services in partnership with the Illinois Department of Human Services, village officials told Pioneer Press. According to the release, as of Jan. 11 a, 86 individuals including 40 children, are housed in 21 rooms at the hotel. Another 49 people, including 16 children, have shelter on the fourth floor at the YMCA. Nine men are each in single rooms on the third floor at the Y. Fourteen other single men are housed at a local church.
* NBC Chicago | Conflict exists in public statements between Pritzker, Johnson over migrant crisis: With buses still arriving – albeit a slower pace this week than in recent weeks – and Chicago’s 28 migrant shelters at capacity, it leaves open questions about what and how the city plans to approach the migrant crisis going forward. There are additional questions about what will happen to the nearly 1,900 migrants who potentially face a looming Feb. 1 deadline to leave their current shelter under the city’s 60-day stay limit policy.
* ABC | Inside the deteriorating conditions forcing South American migrants to flee north from country to country: Navarro said she was pregnant with her oldest daughter when the crisis happened and she and her husband couldn’t afford to put food on their table. “You look at yourself in the mirror and see how much weight you’ve lost. That’s when it hits you,” she said in Spanish.
* Tribune | New to Chicago, migrant family in mourning after their 11-month-old baby is killed in car crash: The family was coming home from an appointment with their lawyer around 3 p.m. when a car heading in the same direction struck them on southbound I-290. Yusmelis Gonzalez, 31, and their baby, Theo Aleman Gonzalez, were rushed to the hospital. Theo succumbed to his injuries early the next morning. Gonzalez remains hospitalized.
- Socially DIstant watcher - Thursday, Jan 25, 24 @ 1:18 pm:
Chicago is the biggest city in the county and the state. If Johnson thinks someone else will solve this, he’s got another thing coming. He’s got to be at the table, whether he wants to be there or not.
- Back to the Future - Thursday, Jan 25, 24 @ 1:23 pm:
Appreciate Mayor Johnson’s comments and his leadership on the migrant issues.
- ChicagoBars - Thursday, Jan 25, 24 @ 1:33 pm:
“Johnson acknowledged Wednesday that the group of people set to be evicted likely includes 1,700 children, who could have to change schools in the middle of the academic year.”
Wow, just wow.
- pragmatist - Thursday, Jan 25, 24 @ 1:34 pm:
Mayor Johnson, DSA, UWF, and the CTU are doing the important work: a ceasefire resolution. Let’s take a moment and thank them for their leadership.
But seriously, the mayor’s approach here with the state and Gov. Pritzker is laughable. The state has sent hundreds of millions to the city and now the mayor is saying to the state: give us more money, and oh, by the way, build shelters somewhere else? The mayor’s inexperience and lack of management skills are now on full display. Thankfully, the governor is the adult in the room.
- Dotnonymous x - Thursday, Jan 25, 24 @ 1:37 pm:
Passing the clusterbuck is not the solution…it’s the beginning of another problem.
- Rudy’s teeth - Thursday, Jan 25, 24 @ 1:40 pm:
Is Mayor Brandon Johnson relying on the “ let me pontificate about this topic for a while” strategy from the fifth floor?
All hat and no cattle.
- Jocko - Thursday, Jan 25, 24 @ 1:41 pm:
After the Brighton Park debacle, Mayor Brandon has become a sulky, petulant mess.
I’m just waiting for Pritzker to come out and say, “Someone should’ve told you running a city with 2.7 million people and a 17 billion dollar budget was going to be hard.”
- Three Dimensional Checkers - Thursday, Jan 25, 24 @ 1:45 pm:
The plan is “not in my backyard.”
- Anon324 - Thursday, Jan 25, 24 @ 2:09 pm:
==The plan is “not in my backyard.”==
It seems the plan for Brandon is more along the lines of “I hope someone else fixes this for me.” The administration and their allies in the City Council have no idea what to do, and have seemingly stopped trying to find solutions beyond refusing to fund it and playing chicken with the state and feds.
- Back to the Future - Thursday, Jan 25, 24 @ 2:13 pm:
Might be a bit contrary to the general comments here, but Mayor Johnson, Chicagoans and it’s public safety workers, social worker folks, health workers, not for profits, religious organizations and Democratic Chairwomen Tony P’s health systems folks are standing up tall as a beacon of hope to handle this crisis. America and Illinois residents should be proud of how Chicago responded to this crisis.
The nation should be proud of Chicago.
- Jerry - Thursday, Jan 25, 24 @ 2:20 pm:
I agree with Back to the Future. They are doing the best they can given the circumstances.
- ThePAMan - Thursday, Jan 25, 24 @ 2:33 pm:
=Might be a bit contrary to the general comments here, but Mayor Johnson, Chicagoans and it’s public safety workers, social worker folks, health workers, not for profits, religious organizations and Democratic Chairwomen Tony P’s health systems folks are standing up tall as a beacon of hope to handle this crisis. America and Illinois residents should be proud of how Chicago responded to this crisis.
The nation should be proud of Chicago.=
Isn’t this missing an “/s”?
- levivotedforjudy - Thursday, Jan 25, 24 @ 2:33 pm:
It’s a slow down right now, but does my mayor not realize that Gov. Abbott will be shipping people here like crazy in June and July, right before the Democratic party convention in AUgust. If we have excess migrant shelter capacity once it is over, don’t we still have a problem of housing homeless people? Just thinking out loud.
- Chicagonk - Thursday, Jan 25, 24 @ 2:36 pm:
You know who has continually managed to fly under the radar in all of this? Toni Preckwinkle. And she endorsed Brandon Johnson.
- Back to the Future - Thursday, Jan 25, 24 @ 2:45 pm:
“Missing A “S”
Nope.
Genuinely proud of of Chicago’s and Mayor Johnson’s response to this crisis.
I suspect that the 35,000 new Americans appreciate Chicago response too.
- Charles Edward Cheese - Thursday, Jan 25, 24 @ 3:21 pm:
Back to the Future - you’re proud of the mayors plan which will result in the eviction ~1700 children out of shelter and into the unknown/onto the streets? That makes you proud? You think that approach deserves applause and praise?
- Two left feet - Thursday, Jan 25, 24 @ 3:27 pm:
“But city officials said they have recommended to Pritzker’s administration potential sites outside Chicago, sometimes with specific buildings in mind, a notion the governor’s office disputes.”
What specific buildings outside Chicago did Chicago officials recommend?
- JS Mill - Thursday, Jan 25, 24 @ 3:39 pm:
Dear Mr. Mayor,
Greg Abbott says thanks.
- Larry Bowa Jr. - Thursday, Jan 25, 24 @ 4:15 pm:
“city officials said they have recommended to Pritzker’s administration potential sites outside Chicago”
Ooh did they scout these sites on their way to the border inspection? Clown show.
- Ben Tre - Thursday, Jan 25, 24 @ 4:17 pm:
The disconnect between Johnson’s comments (”send them somewhere else”) and the purported views of progressives (”we welcome immigrants”) is astounding. Still not sure whether progressives are hypocrites or if it is just Johnson.
- ArchPundit - Thursday, Jan 25, 24 @ 4:26 pm:
Those immigrants are fleeing and seeking refuge. Chicago is a huge city and while I would hope the entire region would join in welcoming the immigrants, Chicago should be first in line.Immigrants such as these are what the City was built on and it’s what the city still needs.
Shameful response from the Mayor.
- Frida's boss - Thursday, Jan 25, 24 @ 5:26 pm:
Brando the Gov Abbot of municipal leaders.
- Candy Dogood - Thursday, Jan 25, 24 @ 6:30 pm:
Watching the City and the State’s response to the migrant crisis unfold is an experience that only a lifetime of being a Bears fan could prepare me for.