Approximately 300 migrants moved into the buildings of Wright City College at the end of May. Some migrants are living in temporary shelters, and previously dozens were living at local police stations.
The move to the college is supposed to be temporary until better locations are found. The City says the migrants will be out by August 1. Wright City College is located at 4300 N. Narragansett Ave.
Chicago has more than 9,000 migrants who were bussed in from Texas over the past year. About 550 migrants were living on police station floors.
38th Ward Alderman Nicholas Sposato encourages patience and said:
"They want to work. They're not here to live in shelters or sponge off of America. Give them an opportunity to work. In no time, they'll be renting apartments, owning apartments, owning houses."
When the migrants were at the police station, Sposato said:
"That was a terrible thing for everybody. Terrible for the police, terrible for the asylum seekers, so that was the most important thing to me, that they got out of not only my police district but all police stations."
On Wednesday, May 31, the City plans to vote on the $51 million and Sposato plans to vote against it.
"If that $51 mil was for all homeless people, I certainly would support it, but since it's only for asylum-seekers. I do not support it."
While the migrants are waiting for their work permits, they will receive health care, social services support, mental health support, and other assistance.
Some local neighbors have donated clothes and toys for the migrants who left their home country and many of their belongings.
Last Summer, Texas Governor Greg Abbott began bussing migrants out of the State to sanctuary cities including Chicago, Washington, D.C., New York City, and Philadelphia. This year, the governor added Denver as another location.
The new mayor, Brandon Johnson, will have his hands full managing migrants and securing financial support.
Do you think Chicago can handle the migrants who arrived?
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