Committee on Immigrant and Refugee Rights meeting, July 26, 2023
- When: Wed, Jul 26, 2023, 9:00 AM (Chicago time)
- Where: City Council Chamber, 2nd Floor, City Hall, 121 North LaSalle Street - Chicago, IL 60602
- Status: Scheduled & Published
- Committee: Committee on Immigrant and Refugee Rights
- Video: https://vimeo.com/showcase/8928487/video/848101047
- Transcript: full text (36,919 words, official captions)
Meeting notes
AI-written from the transcript. Speakers are inferred from cues in the recording, so treat names as estimates and check the video at the linked time.
The Committee on Immigrant and Refugee Rights heard three public commenters, two of whom criticized the city's handling of migrant shelters, and approved its July rule 45 report. It then held a subject matter hearing on the city's emergency response to new arrivals, with presentations from the new Deputy Mayor for Immigrant, Migrant and Refugee Rights, OEMC, the Department of Family and Support Services, and Chicago Public Schools on shelter operations, resettlement, case management, an upcoming RFP for nonprofit shelter operators, and school enrollment. Officials reported more than 11,500 arrivals since August 2022, about 5,445 people in city shelters, and 941 waiting in police stations. Several members, including Vice Chair Jeanette B. Taylor, Reilly, and Sigcho-López, described problems at shelters in their wards and called for a special City Council meeting, which the chair said he would support. Members also raised volunteer support, food quality, security, staff training, communication with alderpersons, and the need for state and federal help; no legislative action was taken on the subject matter.
Topics: asylum seekers, migrant shelters, police station sheltering, resettlement and rental assistance, shelter operator RFP, CPS enrollment of newcomers, mutual aid volunteers, shelter security, federal and state support, special City Council meeting
Agenda items discussed
- 28:46 Approval of the July rule 45 report: passed
- 29:05 Subject matter hearing on the city's emergency operations in response to new arrivals: discussed
Alderpersons who spoke
- Andre Vasquez Jr. (chair): Opened the hearing on the humanitarian response, noting asylum seekers sleeping at police stations and calling for transparency and accountability. (29:05); Asked whether the city tracks LGBTQIA+ new arrivals and plans specific services or shelter for them. (1:28:03); Asked who is responsible for engaging other municipalities about shelter partnerships and which have been contacted. (1:29:01)
- Jeanette B. Taylor (alderperson): Asked why the migrant situation was not discussed with DNC organizers and why there has been no emergency meeting of the full City Council. (1:32:03); Criticized the organizations and security company at the Wadsworth shelter, saying they do little, and described trafficking and drug dealing outside. (1:33:33); Said the presentation omitted spending and that she was not consulted about the shelter in her ward. (1:34:53)
- Michael D. Rodriguez (alderperson): Praised CPS for enrolling children sheltered at Piotrowski Park in the 22nd Ward during the last two weeks of school. (1:45:21); Asked about the increase in English learners and why CPS does not track country of origin. (1:47:16); Asked how CPS provides translated materials and staffing in schools without existing bilingual programs. (1:50:58)
- Maria E. Hadden (alderperson): Echoed Taylor's comments and said Chicago may not get where it needs to be without federal support. (2:02:08); Supported a special City Council meeting and proposed bringing the congressional delegation to hear from constituents. (2:03:10); Asked whether CPS has additional resources for schools enrolling new students. (2:03:45)
- Rossana Rodríguez Sánchez (alderperson): Thanked workers and mutual aid groups and urged alderpersons to create channels for residents who want to help. (2:18:16); Asked how the city will work with community groups already doing the work as part of the shelter RFP. (2:21:02); Asked how churches sheltering asylum seekers will be supported and whether their residents will be eligible for resettlement. (2:27:12)
- Brendan Reilly (alderperson): Said the 42nd Ward houses the most migrants and that the program is not working, while most residents of the Inn of Chicago follow the rules. (2:30:58); Described groups outside the Inn of Chicago at night with guns, alcohol, and drugs, and said promised patrols and towing had not occurred. (2:33:05); Asked how many loitering citations CPD has issued around the Inn of Chicago. (2:34:48)
- Byron Sigcho-López (alderperson): Thanked volunteers and said precious time was lost under the previous administration, which did not respond to his letters. (2:41:20); Said federal support is inadequate and seconded Taylor's call for a special City Council meeting. (2:43:10); Asked why the state has not considered a disaster declaration to obtain funding. (2:44:24)
- Ruth Cruz (alderperson): Said volunteers at police stations work daily without support and asked what plan exists to support them. (2:52:45); Asked the deputy mayor to convene volunteers from all police districts to create a consistent communication plan. (2:54:33); Asked about the communication plan for buses moving migrants, citing 25th District volunteers not receiving updates. (2:56:41)
- Jessica L. Fuentes (alderperson): Thanked the administration for prioritizing the issue and said criticism is needed to build a working program. (3:02:57); Said families have returned to police stations over shelter food that is not culturally responsive and asked about another food vendor. (3:04:29); Asked about training and vetting of shelter staff, saying families are treated as a monolithic group. (3:06:10)
- Jeylú B. Gutiérrez (alderperson): Asked about plans for children at Daley College as families move to the former American Islamic College. (3:16:01); Asked what happens to family members when one person is removed from a shelter for breaking rules. (3:16:58); Asked whether CPS is hiring more bilingual teachers. (3:19:33)
- Nicole T. Lee (alderperson): Asked what will happen with the Clemente welcome center once school starts. (3:24:22); Asked what information migrants receive on arrival and how the city coordinates with federal immigration officials. (3:26:02); Suggested an RFP allowing small restaurants to provide culturally competent shelter food. (3:31:24)
- Leni Manaa-Hoppenworth (alderperson): Stated the 48th Ward's commitment to being welcoming and invited federal officials to a community meeting on the Broadway Armory shelter. (3:36:21); Asked the chair to bring up U visa certification denials at the next hearing. (3:39:27); Asked about the 30-day shelter policy and how people move from shelter to housing. (3:39:56)
Exchanges between members
- 1:37:21 Taylor thanked Lopez for attending a community meeting about the Wadsworth shelter.
- 1:44:24 The chair said he would join Taylor in calling for a special meeting.
- 2:02:08 Hadden echoed Taylor's comments that the response is not where it needs to be.
- 2:31:19 Reilly said Taylor's remarks were correct that the system is not working.
- 2:40:00 Reilly joined Taylor's request for a more public conversation on the program.
- 2:43:27 Sigcho-López seconded Taylor's call for a special City Council meeting.
- 2:50:52 The chair commended Sigcho-López for his upcoming hearing on Bring Chicago Home.
- 3:12:23 Fuentes thanked the chair for setting up the question-submission system.
- 3:23:27 Lee thanked the chair for holding the committee hearings.
- 3:38:36 Manaa-Hoppenworth thanked the chair for wanting a special hearing, as Taylor had asked.