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* January 24…
In mid-November, Pritzker pledged to use $65 million to open a 200-bed shelter in a vacant CVS drugstore in Little Village and to house another 2,000 migrants in a massive, winterized base camp. Plans to build that structure in Brighton Park were scuttled by state officials, citing environmental concerns.
“The state committed to 2,200 beds, and we could really use those beds right now,” Johnson said.
* Yesterday…
Illinois remains committed to building new shelters, Johnson said. He called on the state to build at any sites it is considering. The process of prepping buildings for shelters is slow, he added.
“Remember: the state of Illinois committed to 2,200 beds, right? So, so far they have 200. They’re still committed to 2,000 beds. But again, the goal is of course, is to resettle families as fast as we can to make sure that we are able to handle the flow in the event that it picks up again,” he said. “The state of Illinois can move today to build a shelter, and I’m confident that that will take place.”
The mayor has been saying lately that the state can build shelters anywhere it wants, including in other towns.
* I asked the governor’s spokesperson why there’s been a delay…
We have repeatedly asked the city where they would like to locate the additional beds after the tent site did not meet IEPA standards. They have not provided us where or how they prefer we provide the additional capacity.
The governor has often said the state doesn’t control any facilities that it can use, so it needs the city to choose locations.
* Meanwhile, the mayor said yesterday that the influx was costing the city $1.5 million a day, and he reminded reporters that he budgeted $150 million. So, Isabel asked Gov. Pritzker today what he hopes the city will do in April when its appropriation runs out…
We’re gonna have to continue to manage the influx of migrants to the city would be my expectation. And so, as partners with the county, with the state, the city is going to have to be right there at the table as they are now to make sure that we’re serving the needs of those who, in this humanitarian crisis, need our help.
* More from Isabel…
* Tribune | Mayor Brandon Johnson postpones shelter eviction dates until March: Migrants who originally had an exit date between Jan. 16 and Feb. 29 will be given a 60-day extension starting from their original exit date, according to Brandie Knazze, head of the city’s Department of Family and Support Services. If an individual was scheduled to leave Jan. 16, for example, their new exit date is March 16. There are 5,673 people who fall into that category. The 2,119 individuals who were scheduled to exit between Mar. 1 and Mar. 28 will receive a 30-day extension. Anyone who enters the shelter system starting today will receive the standard 60-day notice. The 5,910 new arrivals who entered the shelter system between Aug. 1 and Nov. 16, 2023, will also receive their 60-day notice starting Feb. 1. Those individuals are eligible for the state’s three-month rental assistance program.
* ABC Chicago | City Council committee to meet on conditions of Chicago migrant shelters: A City Council committee will meet Tuesday morning to discuss conditions at migrant shelters across the city. The meeting comes as Mayor Brandon Johnson has extended the deadline once again for evicting Chicago migrants from city-run shelters.
* Center Square | Chicago provides 300,000 meals a week to non-citizen migrants, among other services: The taxpayer cost to care for the migrants is about $1.5 million per day. Johnson said that money has gone to housing, health care and meals. “In response, my administration and our city have stepped up to meet this moment,” Johnson said. “We have stood up 28 temporary emergency shelters, and we have done this across the entire city of Chicago. We have provided over 300,000 meals per week.”
* Sen. John Curran | Gov. J.B. Pritzker invited, then mismanaged Illinois’ migrant crisis: This isn’t an argument about the value of immigration and the role it has played in building the United States of America. It’s a question of reality, of management and of what our already overtaxed residents can afford. The people of Illinois cannot afford the misplaced priorities, radical policies and grandiose promises of a governor seeking attention on the national stage.
* Austin American-Statesman | Texas paid at least $135,000 to fly migrants from El Paso to Chicago, records show: The $135,000 figure represents a portion of the total cost of flying migrants since the initial Dec. 19 flight. Since then, the state has flown nearly 900 passengers out of the state, said Wes Rapaport, a TDEM spokesperson, in a statement.
posted by Rich Miller
Tuesday, Jan 30, 24 @ 11:51 am
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Brandon is either very bad at this governance thing or simply doesn’t want to try.
Comment by wowie Tuesday, Jan 30, 24 @ 12:14 pm
Stacey David Gates and the Mayor Johnson she controls are focused on passing the cease-fire resolution. They need a cause to distract from the fact they can’t govern or figure out how to work with anyone outside their bubble.
Comment by pragmatist Tuesday, Jan 30, 24 @ 12:31 pm
What gets overlooked in the CTU/Mayoral dynamic is that the Union doesn’t want Mayor Johnson spending their contract dollars on migrant issues. Has to be a lot of pressure there.
Comment by Don't lose Sight Tuesday, Jan 30, 24 @ 12:49 pm
There certainly seems to be huge sums of money out there. I hope we see a good accounting of who got what and what it was used for
Couldn’t the state county or city identify small unit apartments up to 6 or 12 units or hotels or motels or work with Chicago Housing Authorities? I mean you could keep these units and help people out with temporary housing for years
Comment by DuPage Saint Tuesday, Jan 30, 24 @ 12:54 pm
Contract negotiates between CPS N CTU start this spring. If you think this migrant issue is a 5th floor disaster just wait.
Comment by NotRich Tuesday, Jan 30, 24 @ 12:59 pm
Playing Hot Potato is going to burn someone’s hands…or political future.
Comment by Dotnonymous x Tuesday, Jan 30, 24 @ 1:00 pm
“Judge Pallmeyer admonished Mapes that the order required him to testify truthfully before the grand jury and that, if he failed to do so, he could face prosecution”
Noted
Comment by Donnie Elgin Tuesday, Jan 30, 24 @ 1:03 pm
==Contract negotiates between CPS N CTU start this spring. If you think this migrant issue is a 5th floor disaster just wait.==
I expect those negotiations will proceed very quickly and painlessly.
Comment by Garfield Ridge Guy Tuesday, Jan 30, 24 @ 1:17 pm
Whether Illinois wants to admit it or not, dispersing the migrants as widely as possible is in its best interests.
No single school, no single school district, can handle a massive influx of ESL students.
Keeping all the kids in Chicago, and giving the GOP the power to fan the flames between Illinois and Chicago is only going to encourage more planes, trains and automobiles, especially with the convention coming in August.
Every “win” is actually a self-own.
Comment by Juvenal Tuesday, Jan 30, 24 @ 1:19 pm
==we could really use those beds right now,” Johnson said.==
Why not ask GardaWorld? You signed a $29 million dollar contract with them in September.
Comment by Jocko Tuesday, Jan 30, 24 @ 1:45 pm
The mayor has tried to underplay the migrant issue, except when he tries to tell everyone how everything he’s done is the best ever. He really just wishes it would go away.
He wants to talk about one wage, cease-fire, CABO, and the transfer tax. This is what DSA is made of creating policies and not handling the day-to-day issues. Ald. Jeanette Taylor-”We look pretty stupid right now”
Truer words were never spoken.
Comment by Frida's boss Tuesday, Jan 30, 24 @ 2:00 pm
===No single school, no single school district, can handle a massive influx of ESL students.===
The mayor yesterday: “We are educating 500 migrant children in our Chicago public schools”
I think they can handle that.
Comment by Rich Miller Tuesday, Jan 30, 24 @ 4:10 pm