[remote or in person] Committee on Immigrant and Refugee Rights
Chicago City Council
Politics
Tuesday, July 23, 2024
10:00 a.m. — 1:00 p.m. CDT
121 N LaSalle St Chicago, IL 60602 (Directions)
City Hall, 2nd floor, Council Chambers
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Reporting
Edited and summarized by the Chicago - IL Documenters Team
Note-taking by
Raya Sajid
Many citizens and workers of aid organizations urge an extension of the 60 day shelter policy.
Live reporting by
Sofia Delgado
Many citizens and workers of aid organizations urge an extension of the 60 day shelter policy.
Sofia Delgado
@sofiainchicago
Good morning. I will be live tweeting the Committee on Immigrant and Refugee Rights (CIRR) meeting for
@CHIdocumenters #CHIdocumenters. The meeting started at 10:06 am on July 23, 2024. Thread ⬇️
@CHIdocumenters #CHIdocumenters. The meeting started at 10:06 am on July 23, 2024. Thread ⬇️
10:52 AM Jul 23, 2024 CDT
On the agenda is a subject matter hearing on O2024-0008394: an amendment for deleting Municipal Code Chapter 2-172 and adding a new Chapter 2-172 entitled 'Transitional Haven Guidelines,' prohibiting length of stay limitations for (cont.)
transitional shelters operated by the City of Chicago. New arrivals will provide testimony. Votes will not be taken. You can learn more about the CIRR here:
40thward.org/city-council/c…
Chairman Andre Vazquez began the meeting with public comments. The first speaker will be Elizabeth Laura.
Ms. Laura is a first time public commenter who has recently befriended a single mother with three children who has been here for 11 months at an Islamic shelter. "I just want to know: what is the plan? What is somebody supposed to do?"
The next speaker is Zoey Lee, whose Uber driver this morning told her their son could not find any work because "they made the blacks stand out front when the Latinos went inside," saying "that's the problem -- there's no black and brown," and calling it a Ponzi scheme.
She continues on criticizing the city's response to un- and under-employment, saying there is "no plan." She implied that the city pits Black and Brown citizens against each other for scarce resources, calling them "racist."
The next speaker represents an education and job training program for new arrivals: "the 60 day eviction policy has made it difficult to do this process," adding stress to families and making it hard to obtain public benefits that they qualify for, as they are unable to submit
documents on time. The speaker calls on the Committee to push to remove the 60 day eviction notice, saying migrants "want to be self-sufficient, but they want and need our help."
The following speaker echoes that "60 days is not time to assist them with their basic needs... making it more difficult for us to do critical work," speaking to the social and economic difficulties those seeking refuge face.
Emily Wheeler, a program manager for an organization supporting migrants (SWG): "families who would normally ask us for help finding an apartment are now asking us to provide tents big enough for them," pointing to Chicago's affordable housing crisis.
"As you are aware, these migrants want to be out of the shelters as much as the city wants them to be," but due to economic conditions, they are not able to find the economic security necessary to leave a shelter in 60 days, adding to problems throughout the city.
Taiwan Simms: "I lack trust in the system," because he was attacked and thrown out of a shelter. "I'm not saying poor people shouldn't get-- but if there were honesty, if there were integrity, there wouldn't be children selling candy on the street corner."
Jessica Jackson: Ms. Jackson starts listing Hispanic alderpeople, saying "you all have yourselves to thank for sinking the Democratic Party... you came in and you decided that all the money was going to go to illegal immigrants"
Ms. Jackson echoes concerns from other citizens that the City is redirecting funds from poor Black communities to refugees, and criticizes the migrants' work ethic and attitude, implying that they do not contribute economically to the city.
Ms. Jackson is looking forward to "when Trump gets back in office" and follows through on promises for "mass deportation," calling immigrants "ungrateful."
The next speaker says, "We're all trying -- I'm going to start off on a positive note." He says: "Without stability, I don't think anyone can get the best out of themselves."
The next speaker's public comment is in Spanish, translated by the former speaker: Antonio Perez is Venezuelan, and left his family in Venezuela eleven years ago. He says he is trying to find work, and does what he can as a barber, but it is hard with the permit and resources.
(trans:) "I am very grateful for the shelters that I've been in, for the people who have helped me. I send money home whenever I can. It doesn't mean I'm ungrateful, it means I am human."
The next speaker, Antonio, also has a translator: Antonio is also a Venezuelan refugee thankful for the shelter and a roof over his head. He is frustrated by how long it takes to get a work permit, as he cannot get a job without one.
One citizen was frustrated he could not speak, as people went over time as some were being translated. Ald. Vasquez said that he can submit a written comment, as the public comment time expired.
Chairman Vasquez takes roll, there are 10 members present, along with Alderman Hall.
An expert representing the city's Immigrant, Refugee, and Migrant Rights board acknowledge that their system is not perfect, trying to balance resources with people's needs. She calls the challenge "unprecedented," and resources "limited," saying (cont.)
"This type of change does not happen overnight," and asks for more funding before turning to a presentation. She points to a three pronged response to addressing homelessness in Chicago: Prevention, Crisis Response, Housing and Supports.
Deputy Mayor Beatriz Ponce de León: "over 17,000" have been resettled, and 5,000 current shelter residents. Chicago has welcomed over 45,000 asylum seekers that have been abandoned by southern states and the Federal government.
"We as a city do not control how many people come, when they come," pointing to states like Texas that bus refugees to cities with more generous policies towards immigrants.
Ponce de León says that the city prevented over 45k new arrivals from becoming unsheltered/unhoused, and solidified a joint strategy for new arrivals services with City, County, and State funding, "in the midst of handling this federal, humanitarian crisis."
Ponce de León says that while she heard community complaints about the 60-day policy, it has "worked," and needs more buffers like more beds in shelters.
Refugees in shelters recieve 45- and 21-day "check in"s, as well as 10- 3- and day of reminders when they are asked to leave the shelter. At the 21-day check in, 84% were eligible for a 10-day extension.
From Mar. 15 - July 21, there have been 1,511 60-day exits. Single refugees averaged 118 days, families avg. 154 days, and the overall average length of stay is 122 days.
One System Initiative: ensure equity in services across populations (between unhoused Chicagoans and new arrivals), like training, shelter, and access, and trying to apply a consistent standard in bringing unhoused and refugee support systems together.
Budget update: since Mayor Johnson took office, "living in our values" as an administration "comes at a cost." During Johnson's term, the new arrivals increased, increasing the cost of housing migrants to a point where it was "unsustainable," (cont.)
challenging the administration to reflect their values while keeping costs sustainable.
$426M funding stack for the City's shelters and operations, breaking down to $59M state, $70M county, $19M federal funding: "I was to highlight how little we are getting from the federal gov't compared to our budget, the state budget, and the county budget."
The City is expecting a surge of busses from Texas, as announced by Gov. Greg Abbott during the RNC, "irrespective" of the City's order to stop busses, and hopes the state funding will support the increase.
We will now hear testimony from refugees that have been evicted from shelters. First is Santiago, with a translator:
Santiago is from Ecuador, and he has been here with his family for 2 months in a shelter. He is trying to find work, and has a permit, an ID, and all paperwork, but it is still impossible to find work because companies say he lacks experience. He requests work training (cont.)
programs and an extension to the 60-day stay, saying that it is not enough time to become independent.
The next translator, representing African immigrants, says that the 60-day policy is unrealistic, pointing to the city's own numbers saying that refugees usually require an average of 150 days to reach independence.
A refugee from Angola found the shelters uncomfortable, the bathrooms unsanitary and lacking privacy, and the workers discriminatory. But if she is on the street, she will not have any shelter in a new country, as she doesn't have family or friends here.
Chairperson Vasquez points to for more data, as well as shelter and refugee information.
welcometochicago.org
Ald. Fuentes: "How do we make room in the shelters" in the face of the upcoming DNC, without kicking people out of shelters, and asks if there's any room to discuss changing the 60-day policy.
City response: "Shelters are not the end-all, be-all," the goal should be housing. They need beds available because they do not know what will happen in August in the light of Abbot's comments at the RNC, and they are trying to support migrants in leaving shelters.
More information can be found about Governor Abbot's comments at the RNC referenced by Aldermen here:
blockclubchicago.org/2024/07/18/tex…
Ald. Fuentes: "I know we shouldn't be facing homelessness because of people being evicted from shelters -- but we are." Fuentes points to "shuffling" of migrants between landing zones and shelters, and the lack of transport between them for those new to the city.
An expert for the city says families living in tents "is illegal," and they take that seriously. "When we allow people to go into parks, that gets very difficult," but doesn't clarify what those living on the street should do without access to a shelter.
Fuentes: Has there been a conversation with the DNC, "knowing that the buses that will be sent here are politically motivated?" Answer: yes, but they are not aware of funds from the Democratic Party.
Ald. Fuentes points to the discrimination claims made by the refugee from Angola, and to reports of LGBT+ and other forms of discrimination within shelters -- "where is the accountability?" "what is the process?"
City response: There is a system for reporting concerns that is being utilized by refugees, and it is good that new arrivals are using the system and reporting grievances. It would be more concerning if they were not using the system. There are people in charge of spotting trends
Ald. Fuentes: Are refugees aware of the grievance process? (directed to the refugee representatives) Response: no, none of these migrants were aware of the grievance process.
Ald. Fuentes: "It is wildly unacceptable to kick people out and not provide transportation [to the landing zone]" and makes it seem like the City does not want people to get to the landing zone "intents aside," as that is how the system works. Transport needs to be provided.
A lot of new arrivals do have cars, which poses issues for parking space in the city, and should be taken into account in offering shelter space.
Ald. Taylor is concerned that the city is simply "making more" houselessness: "I feel like we continue to put a bandaid on a bullet wound, and that's not helpful to anyone... what is the plan to make sure [unhoused Chicagoans] get housing?"
Taylor: "what are we doing about the language barrier" that gets in the way of resources being distributed in shelters and CPS schools? Ponce de León: "we have a language access ordinance in the city and we need fto work harder" to make sure that need is met
Taylor: "what is the plan for the DNC?" Ponce de León: add beds, extra "just in time" shelters for 30 days if needed, and a state plan for more "just in time" beds if needed. They hope to not need the third tier of extra beds.
Vasquez: upcoming elections in other countries could lead to a 40-60% increase in migration, and our own upcoming election will affect numbers.
Agency Information
Chicago City Council
The Chicago City Council is the legislative branch of the government of the City of Chicago and consists of the Mayor and Aldermen elected from each of the City’s fifty wards. Source
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