Chicago's City Hall acts to relocate migrants amid looming cold weather

CHICAGO - As the weather takes a cooler turn, there's a growing sense of urgency at Chicago's City Hall to move thousands of migrants from police stations into shelters. While officials eye the iconic Marina City in River North for a new migrant shelter, another winterized encampment is one step closer to becoming a reality.

On Monday, Chicagoans – who know what to expect – bundled up amid chilly temperatures, but many new arrivals will be experiencing the cold for the very first time.

The CTA is now providing warming buses during certain hours at the migrant bus landing zone near Clinton and Vernon Park Place and 16 police districts across the city, but long-term solutions are desperately needed.

"We have minors in police stations and in the streets, this is an emergency response," said Ald. Byron Sigcho-Lopez who represents the 25th Ward.

Monday morning, the Committee on Housing and Real Estate, which Ald. Sigcho-Lopez chairs, signed off on the city's plan to purchase land at the corner of 115th and Halsted.

The former Jewel parking lot could become a migrant base camp built by GardaWorld Federal Services, but South Side community members are pushing back.

"I understand the frustration, I understand the anger, the City of Chicago, the South Side and the West Side have been neglected for generations, and unfortunately now we have another federal problem that should not be a problem if we had coordination," said Sigcho-Lopez.

Among their concerns, neighbors fear that a mixed-use housing development that’s in the works won't see the light of day.

"We hope this will be a temporary use so that we can make sure that we save lives," said Sigcho-Lopez.

Named the Morgan Park Commons, it would create hundreds of jobs and provide ample housing opportunities for residents.

The Far South Side Community Development Corporation tells FOX 32 Chicago it has received assurances from the city that construction on their project will still be on track to begin next year, even if the site temporarily serves as a migrant encampment.

In a statement, Abraham D. Lacy, president of Far South Community Development Corporation, stated:

"The nonprofit Far South Community Development Corporation is still committed to making the Morgan Park Commons development happen for Far South Side communities that have been waiting years for this critical investment. We are still on schedule for a groundbreaking in Fall 2024. We have already secured development financing for Phase I, including allocations from the State of Illinois and the City of Chicago, and we look forward to delivering on our plans to provide affordable housing, retail and entertainment, and new park space—revitalizing the corner of 115th and Halsted into a community anchor for generations to come."

This Wednesday, the full City Council will vote on the purchase of the encampment site.

Meanwhile, Sigcho-Lopez is renewing his call for support from the federal government.

"It is unfair to put more burden on our communities that are barely making it, this is an urgent call for the federal government, FEMA in particular, to coordinate efforts, with not only the state of Illinois, with other states," Sigcho-Lopez said.

If approved, the encampment at 115th and Halsted would be the second ‘tent city’ that is in the works – the first, located at 38th and California in Brighton Park. The city is still in its assessment stages for that site.

At the same time, the city is now exploring the possibility of converting Hotel Chicago within the Marina City towers into migrant housing, potentially providing shelter for over 1,000 migrants.

It's a plan 42nd Ward Ald. Brendan Reilly writes in an E-letter that he is "vehemently opposed to," saying it "defies logic" given that it is just steps from a "problematic CTA Red Line stop," and "blocks from the temporary Bally’s Casino."

The community alert also states that Ald. Reilly believes Mayor Brandon Johnson is "abusing the authority of his office" by entering into such contracts without the City Council's approval.

As of Monday, Oct. 30, the City of Chicago has received over 19,800 new arrivals since August 2022. Nearly 12,000 migrants are in city shelters, while more than 3,300 others are awaiting placement – most of them, currently staying at police districts across Chicago.