Nearly 6,000 migrants in Chicago have more time to find housing after Mayor Brandon Johnson on Monday, January 29, extended the eviction deadline for them to leave the city’s 28 shelters.
The deadline was originally scheduled for February 1, but facing pressure from some aldermen who signed a letter to support the migrants, Johnson extended the eviction deadline to mid-March.
Johnson said all residents originally scheduled to exit shelters from January 16 through February 29 will be extended by 60 days from their original exit date. All shelter residents scheduled to exit between March 1 to March 28 will be extended by 30 days from their original exit date.
“We are extending the exit date for families due to the delay in fully staffing case management in all city shelters,” said Johnson. “With this policy extension, we are prioritizing Chicago’s values of compassion and humanity. I have said repeatedly that we are not going to push families into the cold, and this policy ensures that families will remain sheltered for the duration of the winter season.”
Johnson said Chicago has received over 35,000 new arrivals since August 2022. Republican Texas Governor has sent 600 buses of migrants during that period, 500 of which have arrived since Mayor Johnson took office on May 15, 2023, the city said.
While aldermen pressured the mayor to extend the eviction deadline, the mayor’s office said the 60-day shelter stay limit was announced “in the wake of the state’s announcement of increased investment in resettlement services and case management.
“Due to the delay in fully staffing case managers at every shelter, shelter stay limits have been extended by 60 days for the 5,673 individuals who were originally scheduled to exit shelters on January 16. The new exit date for this group will be 60 days from their original exit date.
“For the 2,119 residents who were scheduled to exit shelters between March 1 and March 28, their new exit date will be extended by 30 days from their originally planned exit date. Any new shelter residents will receive a 60-day notice upon entering the shelter system.”
Johnson said the city’s partnership with Illinois officials has resulted in over 15,000 asylum seekers being reunited or resettled to other housing facilities. He noted there are still over 14,000 individuals in the shelter system who need additional support to reach self-sufficiency and independence.
Chicago’s partnerships with Illinois, Cook County, churches and philanthropists have been vital to the continued success of the New Arrivals Mission, Johnson stated. Partners at the state and federal levels have coordinated 17 legal clinics since November, aiding over 2,700 eligible shelter residents in applying for work authorization.
Johnson said his Unity Initiative has yielded promising results with over 25 percent of residents securing permanent housing. He said Chicago’s faith community has stepped up to aid new arrivals in response to this humanitarian crisis, but no details were provided.
Cities and states across America have struggled to manage this national humanitarian crisis. The migrant crisis has hit Chicago, Denver, New York, Boston and Philadelphia the hardest.
According to Johnson, in Massachusetts, state officials established a statewide limit of 7,500 beds across 100 different cities. Denver has instituted 14-day limits for single individuals and 42-day stays for families, making adjustments for weather. On February 6, Denver will begin discharging families again after a pause. New York City instituted a 60-day limit for families and a 30-day limit for single individuals on October 16 and began discharging new arrivals from shelters on January 9.
“As the city continues to make improvements to its shelter system, the Chicago Department of Public Health (CDPH) has led the way in expanding public health coordination,” Johnson said in a press release.
“[The] CDPH has extended medical screenings to the landing zone, set up vaccine clinics across shelters, and provided additional triage support with medical partners. We continue to work closely with Cook County Health to ensure that all asylum seekers receive the medical care that they need.”
