Residents sound off about plan to house migrants at Daley College in West Lawn
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Southwest sides voiced their opinions Thursday evening about a plan to use Richard J. Daley College as a temporary shelter for migrants.
As CBS 2's Marissa Perlman reported, the proposal would allow for the housing of 415 migrants in four empty buildings at Daley College – one of the seven City Colleges of Chicago – located at 7500 S. Pulaski Rd. in the West Lawn community.
In a heated meeting in the school's gymnasium Thursday evening, some said, "not in my neighborhood."
"Their rights that you're giving them is better than the people that's been in these damn shelters for years," a man said.
"We should not be fighting for bare resources that we all deserve," a woman said.
The migrants will stay in three buildings – including the gym on campus.
The city says some will arrive as early as this Saturday. They will be allowed to stay in the gym until Aug. 1, and the other two buildings until November.
Other such town halls have also come with strong opinions from the community. We have seen a lot of opposition around the city from neighbors who do not want to house migrants in their neighborhood – and would prefer resources and space to go to help to those who live in Chicago.
The meeting at Daley College came a day after a fiery City Council meeting, where leaders approved $51 million to fight the city's migrant crisis - after a heated debate with a series of emotional outbursts.
Part of that money will go toward funding the Daley College space.
