The Windy City is set to briskly usher in the construction of a controversial "winterized base camp" aimed to sheltering migrants, despite ongoing opposition and concerns about the site's safety. On Monday, crews are expected to break ground on the Brighton Park lot at 38th Street and California Avenue, according to a plan confirmed by Ald. Julia Ramirez (12th), and one that has been met with vociferous protests and tense confrontations. Ramirez released a statement asserting her stance against the camp's construction, citing unchecked safety concerns over the former industrial site's toxic legacy, as reported by the Chicago Sun-Times.

Ramirez's dissent has not, however, swayed city officials. "Let me be clear: I am opposed to the construction of this site," Ramirez has keenly pointed out in her letter. Despite this, the Mayor's office has assured the public they will "suitably to use" the property for its intended purpose after an environmental assessment due later this week, according to a statement obtained by the Chicago Sun-Times, 

Revealing a deeper cut into the city's plan, CBS Chicago notes a growing list of over 12,000 migrants living in city-run shelters and the pressing deadline Mayor Brandon Johnson faces to clear out police stations strained by temporary asylum seeker accommodations. The Brighton Park site—which once harbored a zinc smelter—is now expected to provide refuge for up to 500 migrants initially, as reported by CBS Chicago.

Morning protesters have braved the biting cold and gathered outside the site in a last-ditch effort to push back against the plan. "There's no transparency from the mayor, not even from Alderman Ramirez. You know, it's very inhumane to do this," Raul Montes Jr., a Brighton Park resident, stated in  CBS Chicago.