Alderwoman Emma Mitts (37th)
While deeply concerned about the “draining of city resources” to pay for migrants and their continual funding, Alderwoman Emma Mitts (37th) on Monday, October 23, said she is shocked and outraged over allegations of theft by migrants living outside a police station, against their neighbors.
With a $538M deficit projected for the city’s Fiscal Year ‘24 budget that impacts one-third of the steady stream of migrants that so far numbers 19,000 arrivals, Mitts is deeply concerned about additional funding and the lack of housing with winter just around the corner. “There’s no end to the busses stopping here,” said Mitts.
She and residents of the 29th Ward are extremely upset with migrants living outside the 15th Police District station located at Madison and Waller, and allegations that some migrants have been around the neighborhood stealing lawn furniture and city garbage cans.
In an interview with the Chicago Crusader, Mitts said, “I resent the fact that we are taking needed resources out of an already impoverished West Side community to house the migrants.
“You can’t speak to them because of the language barrier, and [some] are violent criminals, robbing and stealing from the neighborhood,” charged Mitts. “People have been calling me complaining about these thefts of their property by the migrants.”
“We need some law and order around here,” she said. “The residents call the police, but they can’t arrest them. I’ve asked Superintendent Snelling what we are going to do about this crisis. He talks about public safety, but the police stations where the migrants are living are not safe.
“Some of the migrants are stealing from their neighbors living by the 15th District Police station, taking their lawn chairs, going on their back porches getting things, whatever they can see,” Mitts said. “My constituents asked me to put them in touch with the mayor so they can tell him personally about the thefts by the migrants.”
Mitts said she’s concerned about many things, including the war between the Israelis and Hamas and the resulting hate being displayed among Jews and Palestinians in Chicago, the public safety issue, but she is especially alarmed about the alleged thefts by migrants the city is currently helping.
Referring to a call for peace, love, justice, and humanity in the Middle East by religious leaders like Father Michael Pfleger and Reverend Dr. Waltrina Middleton, executive director of the Community Renewal Society, Mitts said, “I get it that what’s going on in the Middle East affects us, but you got to take care of your home before you can take care of somewhere else. A war can break out right here in the city.”
Referring to Alderwoman Julia Ramirez (12th) and her aide, who were attacked by an angry group of protesters over plans to house migrants in a tent shelter in the Brighton Park community, Mitts said, “I need a bodyguard and an armed one at that. We all do. This is a crisis. It’s getting pretty scary. They need to put money in the budget for bodyguards for the aldermen,” she said.
One resident living by the 15th District Police station told the Chicago Crusader that last Saturday, October 21, migrants allegedly stole two of her city garbage cans. Asking not to be identified for fear of retaliation, the senior homeowner said, “They have also stolen people’s chairs and tables off their back porch who live in back of me.
“I am very upset,” she said. “I work hard every day. No one has stolen from me in the 20 years I have lived here until now,” she said. “I don’t mind helping people. I have not said anything about the migrants, but when they begin to steal or take things off your property, that’s an issue.
“They have been partying loud in the parking lot by the station at Madison and Waller, a lot that we can’t use without permission,” she said. “They dumped their overflowing garbage on the sidewalk. Who wants to live in a community like that,” she said referring to the area by the station.
She has to pay someone to clean up by her house. “We call the police, but it seems they have their hands tied.” She reported the theft of her garbage cans to 311 but has not received a follow-up call.
The woman said there have been complaints about migrants going to a grocery store in Oak Park and allegedly taking gift cards then trying to buy food with them claiming they were gifts, and they lost their receipts. “That, too, is unacceptable,” she said. “You can’t go to the police station to make a complaint because the migrants are living outside of the stations.”
When contacted, police officials said, “We do not have information reported to us at this time.”
Alderman Walter Burnett (27th) said he doesn’t have a problem with the budget, but he does want the administration to do a better job communicating with the aldermen. “They need to let people know ahead of time before they do these things,” he said referring to sending migrants to different places in the wards without first contacting the aldermen.
“They need to make sure that the migrants are not hanging outside and that they have proper spaces to go into when winter comes,” Burnett stated. “They need more spaces to mingle other than being so close to each other.” He said the city should help the migrants with jobs but not before helping those who live here first.
