Migrants and migrant bedding inside O’Hare International Airport in Chicago. Dan McCaleb | The Center Square
As the weather gets colder, Chicago has begun moving some migrants bused to the city from the southern border out of the police stations.
The state has seen over 24,000 noncitizens arrive over the past 15 months, which has led to the state spending more and more taxpayer dollars to care for the crisis.
A significant amount of arrivals are being housed at O’Hare Airport and in tents in and outside police stations.
Over the weekend, the city began to move these tents from the cold as all the migrant tents are now gone from outside the 18th district police station, the first police station to remove the tents.
This comes after the city used $29 million in taxpayer funds to sign a contract for military-grade tents to use for shelter.
Mayor Brandon Johnson said there is money set aside in the budget to move the noncitizens.
“We are increasing personnel at the landing zone and staging areas to facilitate connections to other destinations for individuals who do not wish to stay in Chicago,” Johnson said.
The $150 million in the budget will fund 16 warming buses to keep the noncitizens warm during the winter. Johnson said his goal is to keep everyone happy.
“We are being fiscally responsible and respecting the taxpayers of Chicago,” Johnson said. “Above all, we are treating our new neighbors with compassion because it is humane. With support, they can become productive members of our communities.”
According to the National Weather Service, the average winter temperature in Chicago is 28 degrees.
This article originally appeared on The Center Square.
