While migrants pour into Chicago, another city with influx is forced to set limits
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Every day, there is a new twist in Chicago's humanitarian migrant crisis – and shelter, space, and resources are limited.
CBS 2's Charlie De Mar took a look Wednesday night at what another major city is doing to try to alleviate concerns.
In Chicago, we learned Wednesday that members of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security are now on the ground. They arrived this week to try to assess just how serious the migrant crisis is in the city.
This comes just days after Mayor Brandon Johnson and Gov. JB Pritzker called on the federal government for more resources.
The busloads of migrants are coming in so quickly that Mayor Johnson can hardly keep count. A total of 14 had been expected on Wednesday alone, but Johnson later said there could be as many as 22.
In all, more than 17,000 migrants have been sent to the city.
Ald. Anthony Beale (9th) said he was not told about a group of migrants relocated to his ward over the weekend. He has introduced two proposals to address the migrant crisis – one giving voters a say during the March primary next year, the other requiring the city to alert aldermen of migrants coming to their wards.
"What I'm calling on are these alders who have put forth this resolution - join the choir," Johnson said. "Join the choir in pushing for the federal government, the state government, to continue to share the responsibility."
Meanwhile, there are major challenges with the migrant crisis in other cities – including Denver. Migrants who come through city shelters there will now have 14 days to figure out their next steps – down from 21 days.
Families will be allowed 37.
"It's heart breaking to try and figure out someone's next moves in 14 days," said Jon Ewing of the City of Denver's Human Services.
So far, Denver has received over 22,000 migrants.
"With the rate at which folks are coming in, there's no other option," Ewing said. "We have to bring it down, and we have to be able to process people."
De Mar noted to Mayor Johnson that to alleviate constraints, cities like Denver have put limits on the amount of time migrants can stay at shelters. He asked the mayor if something similar has been explored in Chicago.
"Yes, that has been explored," Mayor Johnson said.
Mayor Johnson also said that he plans to see the problem firsthand, and will make a trip to the southern border soon. But he wouldn't specify when.
He said the trip is not an effort to persuade migrants not to come to Chicago as winter is approaching.
