Chicago has a variety of factors to consider while confronting its migrant influx

It is irrefutable that the city of Chicago, which is home to millions of people, is facing an ongoing migrant crisis. However, how exactly this issue should be addressed remains both greatly uncertain and highly debated. 

Prior to my first semester at Elmhurst University, my knowledge of migrants was extremely limited. However, as the topic of my English course was refugees, and many of my classmates were international students (some of whom are refugees themselves), I became considerably more informed about migrants and the many challenges they have experienced, both recently and historically. 

Also, as a resident of Chicago, I find that this particular issue hits close to home, in more ways than one.  

For over a year, migrants have been fleeing countries like Venezuela, which have been experiencing what has been described as a “humanitarian crisis,” for the United States. 

Chicago, the third most populous city in the U.S., has presented itself as a “sanctuary city” for migrants in need. 

Chicago mayor Brandon Johnson, journalists, and migrants themselves have placed much of the blame for the city’s migrant influx on Texas governor Greg Abbott. Johnson has implored Abbott not to overwhelm the city with busloads of migrants, especially as weather conditions and temperatures have worsened substantially. 

I myself have wondered whether migrants have been able to receive sufficient care and resources at shelters, particularly because temperatures in Chicago fell below zero over the past few weeks, and many migrants arrive with unsuitable attire. 

The death of 5-year-old Jean Carlos Martinez Rivero, who suffered a medical episode at an overcrowded migrant shelter in December 2023, has also raised concerns about migrant safety and medical attention at shelters. 

Chicago suburbs have also been impacted by the migrant crisis, and officials have formulated different strategies for handling this issue, such as the municipality of Arlington Heights developing a bus schedule ordinance. 

Unfortunately, it appears that for every initiative, there is a setback. In January 2024, a Texas bus company sued Chicago, alleging that the city’s penalties on buses dropping off migrants are a violation of the Constitution. 

Although Brandon Johnson has called upon the federal government to step in, it seems that certain members of the government have no interest in intervening. 

President Joe Biden has pledged to make “significant compromises” with Congress Republicans in return for support for aid to Ukraine and Israel, despite this being an entirely separate issue. 

In November 2023, Brandon Johnson set a 60-day deadline for asylum seekers to remain in shelters before they face eviction, though this deadline was later extended due to the frigid conditions. 

It should be noted that Chicago is not alone in dealing with a migrant crisis. New York City, the most populous city in the country, is having difficulties of its own. 

Notably, in January 2024, nearly 2,000 migrants were relocated to a high school in New York, forcing students to return to remote learning. 

It may be difficult for some to avoid politicizing this issue, especially with a presidential election just around the corner, along with the Democratic National Convention, which is scheduled to take place this summer in Chicago. 

It is my hope that everyone can remain informed about this issue and come to view it from both a logical and humanitarian perspective. After all, many migrants are forced to flee, rather than simply choosing to do so, and bring their own hardships with them. 

As Michael Loria writes in the Chicago Sun-Times, “Not all [migrants] are coming under such desperate circumstances, but many are, and once you hear about their experiences firsthand, it’s hard to quit thinking about them.”