Chicago's park shelters, which had become temporary refuges for migrants, are shutting down as the city prepares to resume summer programming. Over the weekend, city officials confirmed the closure of migrant shelters at Gage Park and Brands Park following earlier moves from Piotrowski Park in Little Village and Leone Beach Park in Rogers Park. Mary May, spokesperson for the Office of Emergency Management and Communications, noted that shelters previously operating at Park District facilities are now all closed, as reported by CBS Chicago.
With the intention to clear the park facilities for the public and normal park activities by summer, Mayor Brandon Johnson's administration had previously announced the relocation of asylum seekers to other shelters. According to South Side Weekly, the City Council is set to vote on an ordinance Wednesday to increase the transparency and tracking of migrants exiting city shelters, as 9,173 migrants continue to live in 18 active shelters in the city while 132 await placement.
As of January, the five Park District sites housed 1,181 people; however, by April 5, they held only 356, reflecting a nearly 70 percent population drop. “We are grateful to the alderpersons and communities who have embraced new neighbors with open arms," Mayor Johnson said in an expression of gratitude for those who supported the migrant housing initiative in Chicago's parks, as detailed in his March 25 statement. He also indicated the facilities will soon be available for their original purpose.
Some community leaders are calling for sustained efforts to provide shelter without causing further homelessness amidst migrant evictions from parks. Ald. Andre Vasquez, chair of the Committee on Immigration and Refugee Rights, advocated for an expansion of the shelter system in an interview with South Side Weekly, stating, “I think people need to understand that the buses are going to keep coming.” There is an ongoing emphasis on creating a balance between serving the local communities with park facilities and accommodating new migrants to the city.
Despite the recent closures, the Johnson administration has not opened any new shelter sites since December, citing budget concerns and a downward trend in migrant populations housed in shelters. The Texas Gov. Greg Abbott-initiated influx of migrants started in August 2022 as a protest against the Biden administration’s immigration policies. Since then, Chicago has become a temporary home for more than 39,000 asylum seekers, with the majority having moved on from the shelters to permanent homes or elsewhere in the country.
