Mayor Brandon Johnson says new funding coming from county and state to help with migrant crisis
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Mayor Brandon Johnson said Wednesday that the city is expecting Illinois and Cook County officials to soon announce new funding to help the city provide housing and other services for thousands of migrants staying in Chicago.
Shortly after the City Council passed his 2024 budget plan, which includes $150 million for services for migrants, which would cover only a few months' worth of expenses, Johnson said "both the state and the county will announce new investments to meet the needs of this humanitarian crisis" on Thursday.
"I am grateful that the county and the state have heard our advocacy – their commitment to fund this mission. My plan has always been very clear to create a system of care in a responsible way," Johnson said.
Although the mayor did not specify how much funding that would mean to help the city address its ongoing migrant crisis, Johnson said the investments would help the city establish a 60-day limit on shelter stays for asylum seekers, and increase the number of personnel on the ground where migrants are arriving in Chicago to assist with intake.
"We are implementing a tiered 60-day shelter stay limit, combined with robust case management and workforce access to move new arrivals through our system toward self-sufficiency, and economic stability," Mayor Johnson said.
The mayor declined to say what would happen to any migrants still in city-run shelters after the 60-day limit, saying details would be provided after the county and state formally announce their funding commitment.
However, Johnson said part of the 60-day limit would include improved case management efforts and attempts to increase job access for migrants to help them more quickly become self-sufficient. He said the state and county funding would help provide a more expedited process for migrants to find permanent housing and get them out of shelters and police stations.
"Above all, we are treating our new neighbors with compassion, because it is the humane thing to do, because with support they can become productive members of our communities," he said. "We have to make sure that we are setting up these new arrivals with the best opportunity to be successful."
Johnson also said that any newly arrived migrants in Chicago who don't want to stay in the city will be given assistance reuniting with relatives or sponsors outside the city. In addition, the city plans to crack down on bus companies that disregard city curfews, loading and unloading rules, or designated arrival locations when bringing migrants into Chicago.
Meantime, Johnson reiterated that the federal government needs to step up as well to help Chicago and other cities across the U.S. provide assistance to migrants.
"This is a national problem. It's an international problem, and the federal government has to do more," he said.
Johnson and several other big city mayors were in Washington D.C. two weeks ago to urge the Biden administration to provide $5 billion in funding to help provide housing and other support services for asylum seekers.
"We need the federal government to do more. The state of Illinois, they understand what our requests and what the assignment is as a sanctuary state. They know that we have to clear out these police districts. We have to get people who are sleeping outside indoors, and we have to create work authorization in an expedited way so these families can contribute to the economy," Johnson said.
As of Wednesday morning, more than 21,200 migrants have arrived in Chicago since August 2022. More than 12,000 of those were still living in city-run shelters, with more than 1,800 others staying inside or outside police stations while waiting for placement in shelters, and nearly 600 others staying at O'Hare International Airport while waiting for shelters.
Johnson said he is still committed to getting migrants out of police stations before winter, but has yet to announce when either of two planned tent camps for migrants will open in Brighton Park and Morgan Park.
