Chicago to begin evicting migrants from shelters Sunday

Chicago will move forward Sunday with its previously delayed plan to evict thousands of migrants from city and state-operated shelters, a move that has been met with outrage by advocates and some local elected officials, and with confusion by migrants who will have to scramble to find other housing.

Chicago will move forward Sunday with its previously delayed plan to evict thousands of migrants from city and state-operated shelters, a move that has been met with outrage by advocates and some local elected officials, and with confusion by migrants who will have to scramble to find other housing.

City officials said Friday that 2,026 people will be evicted from their current shelters by the end of April. The first of those — 35 people — will have to move out Sunday. Overall, 244 migrants will be evicted by the end of the month and the remaining 1,782 will leave throughout the month of April.

The mass eviction is starting months after the city announced in November that it would limit shelter stays to 60 days and require migrants who reached that limit to find other housing or go back to the city’s “landing zone” for newly arrived migrants and request placement at another shelter. The city has postponed the policy three times due to extreme winter weather, staffing concerns and backlash from advocates and some elected officials. 

There were 11,210 people living in 23 active shelters run by the city and state as of Friday, according to a city census. The city has received more than 37,100 new migrants since 2022. Many of them have arrived as part of a campaign by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, who is seeking tighter security at the southern border. The influx of migrants to Chicago, along with Denver, New York and other cities, has put a strain on social services and increased demand for housing.

Mayor Brandon Johnson’s office said Friday that about 4,500 people who otherwise would have had to exit shelters in the first wave of evictions will qualify for exemptions that could give them additional 30-day stays in a shelter, which for some could stretch through the end of June.

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/chicago-begin-evicting-migrants-shelters-sunday-rcna143415

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