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Blacks blast Lightfoot’s plan to house migrants on South Side

With her re-election hopes in doubt, Mayor Lori Lightfoot has ignited a firestorm in the Black community after her administration deceived the media, Woodlawn residents and even Alderman Jeanette Taylor with a plan to house migrant workers at the vacant Wadsworth Elementary School.

After months of avoiding inquiries, city officials last week announced plans to house 152 migrants at a school where construction workers made $1.5 million in extensive renovations that were caught on camera during a CBS2 Chicago investigation. Chicago Public Schools told CBS2 Chicago it was just “routine maintenance work.”

The renovations came after Lightfoot two months ago told the press there were no plans to turn Wadsworth into a migrant shelter. While many believed her administration, construction workers were busy renovating the school as Lightfoot stepped up her campaign for the Black vote for city elections on February 28 with frequent appearances at ribbon cutting ceremonies on the South and West sides.

The migrants were scheduled to move into the school on Friday, January 6, two weeks before Early Voting begins for the city elections.

In news reports, Alderman Taylor said she was “blindsided” by the decision. She told radio station WVON’S Perri Small she knew nothing about the renovations or the plan to house migrants at the shuttered school.

Lightfoot herself did not attend the community meeting, fueling disappointment and disgust among Woodlawn residents, including homeowners.

Community leader Jennifer Maddox, who is running for 20th Ward alderman, was scheduled to hold a rally at Wadsworth the day before migrants were to move in.

“We are tired of being shut out and dumped on as residents in Woodlawn and the South Side,” Maddox said in statement.

“We asked questions that went unanswered. We asked for a plan around security, a different timeline, and background checks on the immigrants that would be housed there.”

Her latest misstep has renewed deep concerns that Lightfoot cannot be trusted as a mayor, who throughout her first term has been accused of disrespecting the Black community with a political agenda that shows she is not the progressive or political reformer who campaigned four years ago.

Chicago’s then-18 Black wards voted overwhelmingly for her in Lightfoot’s runoff against opponent Toni Preckwinkle. Today, many Blacks remain disillusioned over Lightfoot’s leadership, and there are doubts whether she will finish in the top two if no one gets at least 50 percent of the vote in the mayoral election.

For two consecutive days on WVON, angry callers flooded Small’s popular “Midday Madness” show. Many vowed not to vote for Lightfoot again, while others questioned why Lightfoot remains elusive and silent after the city reversed course.

One caller, Katie, said, “We can’t let the mayor and all the other people bring in people that can destroy our culture and our housing values. I’m very upset about it, and I will not be voting for that mayor and the people that support all this stuff that’s going on.”

Anthony, another caller, said, “We constantly vote these people in, and we call the radio station, and we complain, complain, complain. In Chicago, we have one of the most powerful voting blocs right now. They are using your damn vote for their agenda that don’t include you. They can’t do nothing without the Black vote. But we constantly give it to them.”

Sister Zekiah, another caller, said, “This shows they don’t care about us. We got laborers out here. [As far as] the system, no, we don’t have leadership. I’m waiting for us to unite again like we did with Harold Washington. You remember [Mayor] Jane Byrne, how she got in, dogged us out, and we united and elected Harold Washington? I want to see us unite again. They don’t give a damn about Black people.”

Larry, another caller, said, “They dump all these migrants into the Black community because they don’t fear consequences from us.”

Jenny Newsom, who said she attended the community meeting, said Lightfoot “doesn’t give a damn about these homeowners around here. She didn’t ask or tell anyone. We have been here since August watching all this construction going on. They were taking out doors; they were bringing in people.”

Even show host Small, who often supports Lightfoot on her show to the dismay of many callers, voiced her disappointment.

“I’m not angry at these migrants. I’m angry at city leadership. They are making plans without the input of the people that have a stake in these communities.”

Lightfoot through her Deputy Press Secretary released a long statement:

“Plans for shelter have been fluid since the beginning of this mission. Since the first bus arrived at Chicago, we saw an influx in the demand for resources, as we received multiple buses per day. However, over time, the bus arrivals decreased and the need for housing was not as demanding as it had once been.

“Over the last four months, things have evolved. The city will continue to work with the county, state, local leaders, and community-based partners to explore all viable options for temporary shelters to respond to emergent needs for new arrivals as it sees fit, and we will continue to evaluate and update plans as needed over the coming weeks and months. The city does have current plans to utilize space at the former Wadsworth Elementary School for temporary shelter.

“To provide a safe and welcoming environment for the new arrivals, the Office of Emergency Management and Communications and the Chicago Department of Family & Support Services coordinated with Chicago Public Schools and the Department of Assets, Information, and Services (AIS) to conduct repairs and updates to Wadsworth.

“Schools like Wadsworth work well for this operation because the ample space provides flexibility.”

Lightfoot said the following renovations have been made to Wadsworth before migrants were set to move in.

  • Re-installed toilets, partitions, and doors;
  • Repaired windows, roof leaks, leaking plumbing pipes and valves, water heater and furnace; tile work and repair;
  • General cleaning.

Lightfoot also said in a statement, “Upon arrival, individuals and families are provided im*mediate shelter and support to meet their basic needs. They receive linkages and connections to services from city, county, state, and community-based agencies.

“During their stay at the shelter, individuals attend the Multi-Agency Resource Center (MARC) to receive linkages to legal screenings, CityKey Identification, and support with diversion resources. They also receive a medical screening through Cook County Health.

“The city will continue to work with the county, state, local leaders, and community-based partners to explore all viable options for temporary shelters to respond to emergent needs for new arrivals as it sees fit, and we will continue to evaluate and update plans as needed over the coming weeks and months.”

Since August, Texas’ Republican governor has bussed thousands of migrants to Chicago. The city has struggled to find shelters and has reportedly placed many in motels and suburban locations.

Last week, Chicago reportedly had 1,531 migrants in its care at 11 alternative shelters.

On December 29, Lightfoot requested $53.5 million from Illinois legislators to help pay for emergency services for migrants who recently arrived in Chicago.

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