CHICAGO (WLS) — Hundreds of migrants faced eviction on Feb. 1 from shelters this week as part of the city’s 60-day eviction policy, but at the urging of several alderpersons and mutual aid groups, Mayor Brandon Johnson has extended the deadline for a third time.
Mid-March is the new date for the first wave of new arrivals who received eviction notices originally set for January.
“We want to give every person and every single family that come to our city enough time to process work, find housing,” Johnson said.
The city said there are more than 5,600 new arrivals who will be evicted on March 16. Checkpoint assessments will be given two weeks before their exit, and there will be exceptions if people need to stay longer.
“The general categories for exceptions that are eligible include progress to permanent or stable housing, severe weather conditions, disability, pregnancy, maternal health, gender based violence or bereavement,” said Dept. of Family and Support Services Commissioner Brandie Knazze.
As for finding housing after migrants leaving shelters, the mayor said there are more people at the shelters helping new arrivals move on.
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“Whether it’s through Catholic Charities or New Life, there are far more people who are available to help people who are available to help families resettle as fast as possible,” Johnson said.
In the meantime, the migrant mission is costing the city $1.5 million per day. The city has only allocated $150 million for the entire year.
Johnson has continued to plea for more federal help, but former President Donald Trump is urging House Republicans to not support a bipartisan immigration bill in the Senate.
Gov. JB Pritzker weighed in on the lack of federal action.
“I think it’s a sad fact that the Republicans are walking away from the table when they’ve got the deal that they wanted it on the table. And the fact that they’re walking away just tells you that this was all about politics from day one,” Pritzker said.
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