Courtesy of the Chicago City Council Latino Caucus

For over a year, Chicago has been extending solidarity with our migrant neighbors seeking asylum in the spirit of our values as a sanctuary city. For the first three months of this administration, the city was opening a shelter every nine days. The City of Chicago and the Chicago City Council Latino Caucus feel a deep sense of responsibility to support those coming to our city seeking refuge. 

The decision by the administration to temporarily house migrants in tents as they await shelter space comes at a moment of absolute desperation and overwhelm for our city. The City of Chicago continues to receive over 200 people a day in a clear attempt from Republican leaders to deplete resources of Sanctuary cities, cause chaos and create the conditions for anti-immigrant sentiment to take root. The Chicago City Council Latino Caucus has been working hand-in-hand with Mayor Brandon Johnson, his administration, mutual aid networks, and organized communities for months to provide care to our migrant neighbors. Mayor Brandon Johnson and the Latino Caucus do not want our neighbors living in tent encampments, at the airport, in police stations, or park facilities. However, we have been left with no other options without meaningful support coming from State and Federal levels. 

We will continue to work with Mayor Johnson’s administration to implement a plan to create more shelter space across the city, use tent base camps to relieve police stations as new arrivals wait for shelter, develop communication with organizations at the border and seek partnership with other municipalities to share in the responsibility.  We need action from our partners at state and federal government and from municipalities across the state to step in and provide support in order to live up to the welcoming values of our state. 

This country has full capacity to welcome immigrants if we all open our communities to receive them. We need to provide support and the possibility to work and earn a living in order to contribute to the growth and well-being of our communities. The Chicago City Council Latino Caucus is ready to continue to do the work needed to support our new arrivals and we will continue to fight and advocate for the resources needed to keep everyone safe and healthy.