After weeks of protest and debate, this could be the week that migrants will be housed at an abandoned Chicago school.
You may have seen protests from local residents as Woodlawn Elementary School was announced to be a new home for migrants who arrived from Texas. The school was supposed to open weeks ago but the opening was delayed. Now it appears this week the facility could open to house up to 200 migrants.
Fox 32 Chicago reported there were snow plows cleaning up snow around Woodlawn Elementary. They added work has been going on to get the school ready for migrants.
Alderman Jeanette Taylor said:
"The community clearly doesn't want it," she said. "There are really no supporting services for the folks that they're putting in the school"
Earlier this year, Mayor Lightfoot asked for $53 million to support the migrant population. The State provided about half of that amount.
Some residents point to the homeless population in the city. Last year, it was reported Chicago had a homeless population of about 65,000 people.
Residents want to see more done to help this population rather than migrants who are given free shelter, food, and legal support.
The school was previously closed in 2013 under former Mayor Rahm Emanuel who served from 2011 to 2019. Current Mayor Lori Lightfoot took over after Emanuel.
Now, Mayor Lightfoot is in a race where she is behind three other candidates. Paul Vallas, Jesus Chuy Garcia, and Brandon Johnson are ahead of Lightfoot according to a Fox 32 poll.
The poll was taken from January 15 to 17.
Do you think Mayor Lightfoot will get re-elected as Chicago mayor?
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