There are no plans to use the former school as a shelter in the future, according to a spokesperson for Mayor Brandon Johnson.
Immigration
Shuttered Woodlawn School Will No Longer Be Used as Migrant Shelter, Mayor Brandon Johnson Announces
The Biden administration will seek to partially end the 27-year-old court supervision of how the federal government cares for child migrants traveling alone, shortly after producing its own list of safeguards against mistreatment, an attorney involved in the case says.
The Pan-Asian Voter Empowerment Coalition has gathered over 300 members to take part in this year’s Asian American Action Day events to advocate for language and immigration services and education equity, among other causes.
Immigrant rights advocates on Friday continued to push for one of their top budget priorities: full funding for state-run health care programs that benefit noncitizens, regardless of their immigration status.
Officials expect it will cost an additional $321 million through the end of 2024 to care for the migrants. The Chicago City Council and the Cook County Board of Commissioners have approved plans to contribute $70 million each. State lawmakers are expected to set aside $182 million as part of the state’s budget for the next fiscal year.
The deadline for applications is Friday. And while there are more than 100 suburbs in the county that are eligible, only two have applied, including Oak Park and Ford Heights.
After the Taliban regained control of Afghanistan, an initial 80,000 Afghans were evacuated to the U.S. in 2021 following America’s botched withdrawal from the country. More than 2,300 Afghan evacuees have since resettled in Illinois, according the Illinois Department of Human Services.
The recent surge of migrants arriving in Illinois has brought with it a host of new challenges for state and local officials. Advocates say the state has not done enough to address educating the children of those coming across the border.
The City Council’s Budget Committee voted 20-8 to advance the proposal to the full City Council, which could vote on it as early as Wednesday. The panel also agreed to accept $48 million in federal and state grants to care for the migrants.
“Here to Work” advocates say extending legal work permits to long-term undocumented residents will help unite communities, stabilize the workforce and promote fair wages. Opponents argue that could come at a cost to taxpayers and drive down wages for legal citizens.
The City Council’s Budget Committee is set to consider the request at a meeting Monday, six weeks after the mayor pointedly declined to join Gov. J.B. Pritzker and Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle when they announced an agreement to set aside an additional $250 million to care for migrants.
The Chicago Department of Public Health says they are fighting the spread through testing and vaccinations — particularly in the Pilsen migrant shelter where the majority of cases are emerging.
Last year, a Belmont Cragin pastor opened his church’s doors to house a group of migrants who were sleeping at a police station. One of the men has now created a series of paintings describing his journey to America. His artwork will be on display this weekend.
The measure set for a final vote by the full City Council on April 17 would require officials to detail how many people are evicted from city shelters every week. In addition, officials must report on the type and number of complaints filed by shelter residents twice per month, according to the proposal.
In all, 31 Chicagoans have been diagnosed with measles since March 4.
City officials were under significant pressure from nearby residents to return the five fieldhouses at Brands Park, Gage Park, Piotrowski Park, Broadway Armory Park and Leone Park to park district use before summer programs, including day camps, were set to begin.