CHICAGO, IL – Local groups and activists are urging Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson to expand housing for migrants after police officers at a station used to house them were accused of sexual misconduct. The allegations against the Chicago Police Department officers are currently under investigation.
As a result, Johnson has begun relocating migrants from police stations to temporary shelters, with plans to find safe, permanent housing for roughly 250 migrants at a time.
Alderman Andre Vasquez, chair of the City Council’s Immigrant and Refugee Rights Committee, suggests using shuttered churches as potential shelters. Johnson emphasized that his administration will prioritize the safety of all Chicagoans, including new arrivals.