Current:Home > MyIllinois earmarks $160 million to keep migrants warm in Chicago as winter approaches -Prime Capital Blueprint
Illinois earmarks $160 million to keep migrants warm in Chicago as winter approaches
View
Date:2025-04-13 08:32:13
CHICAGO (AP) — Gov. J.B. Pritzker announced Thursday that Illinois will funnel an additional $160 million to help migrants arriving in Chicago to resettle, including $65 million to help the city launch “winterized” temporary shelter to avoid people sleeping outdoors in cold weather.
The announcement came on an unseasonably warm Chicago day in the 60s, but with a forecast for temperatures to dip as low as 17 degrees Fahrenheit (-8 degrees Celsius) next week. Most of the roughly 24,000 asylum seekers who have come to Chicago since Gov. Greg Abbot began sending buses last year hail from much warmer climates, leaving them vulnerable to Chicago’s winters.
Chicago and other U.S. cities, including New York, have struggled to house asylum-seekers as winter weather hits and accommodate a growing migrant population. State officials said roughly 700 new migrants arrive each week.
Similar issues could occur as wintry weather closes in on New York, which is struggling to accommodate a growing migrant population, and Denver, which was prompted to loosen its rules on how long migrants are kept in shelters during a recent cold snap.
In Massachusetts, advocates for migrant families are relying on airport lounges, hospital waiting rooms and churches after the state capped the number of beds in family shelters and offered few options for those facing homelessness.
Illinois has already spent or committed more than $638 million to address the humanitarian asylum seeker crisis, officials said. The additional funds will come from the Illinois Department of Human Services. Chicago is in charge of housing new arrivals and has also spent hundreds of millions of dollars trying to accommodate them.
Pritzker said the state has stepped in now because the city has moved too slowly. Chicago has come under scrutiny from immigrant rights groups, local leaders and residents for its handling of the crisis which has heavily relied on volunteers.
“The city’s been operating its own methodology process. And it hasn’t moved fast enough,” Pritzker said at a news conference at a state building in Chicago. “We’re stepping in here to try to help and accelerate this process.”
Mayor Brandon Johnson, who took office in May, has called it an inherited problem and one the city is working to address. Earlier this week, he announced new limits on how long migrants can stay at city-run shelters and said more resources would come from the state and county.
Roughly 2,500 men, women and children are awaiting placement at city-run shelters and sleeping inside or outside police stations or at O’Hare International Airport, according to the city.
Of the $160 million new investment from the state, $30 million will be dedicated to setting up an intake and welcome center to better assist those coming to Chicago who already have a place to stay with friends or relatives, or who plan to continue on to another location, according to the governor.
Another $65 million will go toward helping Chicago set up a “winterized soft shelter site” providing temporary housing for up to 2,000 people. State officials did not immediately respond to a request for clarification on whether this refers to tents or brick-and-mortar shelters.
And $65 million more will provide services such as rental assistance and help with paperwork, including work permits. The idea is to help people live independently as soon as possible.
Pritzker called on Congress to step up to the plate and address the issue.
“We’re being forced to try to solve a federal-sized problem at the state and local level,” he said.
Earlier this week, Johnson announced plans to cap shelter stays to 60 days. The city has used commercial space, hotels, and park district fieldhouses as shelters once migrants are moved from police stations. He didn’t offer details on what would happen if people didn’t have more permanent housing within that time frame. Johnson has also proposed winterized tents, but city officials have struggled to find a location.
Johnson and the mayors of four other cities wrote to President Joe Biden earlier this month seeking more federal resources. He and Denver’s mayor met with the White House chief of staff and Homeland Security Department officials the next day.
Biden has requested $1.4 billion from Congress to help state and local governments provide shelter and services for migrants, after earlier pleas from Democratic mayors and governors.
Congress late Wednesday passed a temporary resolution to keep the government running, but didn’t address any of Biden’s funding requests for the border. It’s not clear whether they will pass any — let alone the increase — local support.
___
AP reporters Colleen Long contributed to this report from San Francisco and Sophia Tareen from Chicago. Savage is a corps member for the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.
veryGood! (559)
Related
- All That You Wanted to Know About She’s All That
- Wisconsin Republicans propose eliminating work permits for 14- and 15-year-olds
- Judge won’t delay Trump’s defamation claims trial, calling the ex-president’s appeal frivolous
- The British Museum fires employee for suspected theft of ancient treasures
- What to know about Tuesday’s US House primaries to replace Matt Gaetz and Mike Waltz
- Noah Lyles on Usain Bolt's 200-meter record: 'I know that I’m going to break it'
- Bachelor Nation's Kaitlyn Bristowe Shares Encouraging Message After Jason Tartick Breakup
- Legendary Sabres broadcaster Rick Jeanneret dies at 81
- How to watch the 'Blue Bloods' Season 14 finale: Final episode premiere date, cast
- Biden will again host leaders at Camp David, GA grand jurors doxxed: 5 Things podcast
Ranking
- Stamford Road collision sends motorcyclist flying; driver arrested
- Michael Oher, Tuohy family at odds over legal petition, 'Blind Side' money: What we know
- Pink Shows Support for Britney Spears Amid Sam Asghari Divorce
- Las Vegas man killed trying to save dog who darted into street
- Average rate on 30
- DNA links killing of Maryland hiker to Los Angeles home invasion
- Brazil’s Bolsonaro accused by ex-aide’s lawyer of ordering sale of jewelry given as official gift
- China’s Evergrande says it is asking for US court to approve debt plan, not filing for bankruptcy
Recommendation
Spooky or not? Some Choa Chu Kang residents say community garden resembles cemetery
Three 6 Mafia turns $4500 into $45 million with Mystic Stylez
Michael Oher, Tuohy family at odds over legal petition, 'Blind Side' money: What we know
Hurricane Hilary path and timeline: Here's when and where the storm is projected to hit California
How to watch the 'Blue Bloods' Season 14 finale: Final episode premiere date, cast
Las Vegas man killed trying to save dog who darted into street
What's Making Us Happy: A guide to your weekend reading and listening
Hilary grows into major hurricane in Pacific off Mexico and could bring heavy rain to US Southwest