The city of Chicago's plan to provide shelter for immigrants at a deserted Kmart in the Southwest Side has been put on hold due to the apprehensions of South Side residents, who are worried that the city government is prioritizing undocumented immigrants rather than its own citizens.
Plans to open a 96,000-square-foot Kmart shelter in the West Lawn area of Chicago were delayed after demands from the public for more clarity from the Chicago city government arose.
Rep. Angie Guerrero-Cuellar has expressed grave doubts and worries regarding the security and humanity of the Kmart building and its facilities to the Chicago Sun-Times. She has requested government organizations to put a stop to the development until they can make sure that it is suitable housing for migrant families.
A resident expressed their concern saying "I have major concerns for the safety of the local community and the people who will be housed at this location."
As of now, it is unclear when the old Kmart will be opened for migrants.
In early February, the city initiated the opening of the former James Wadsworth Elementary School, located close to Chicago's Woodlawn neighborhood, as a temporary migrant shelter, leading to strong disapproval from area residents. Locals were so adamantly opposed to the project that some were "willing to be arrested" to demonstrate their dissatisfaction.
Locals gathered in front of the buses carrying migrants and requested that the municipality allocate resources to the people of the neighborhood rather than the migrants.
Fox 32 reported that Jennifer Maddox, a resident, said, "The community feels disrespected, they feel as though they were not included, and they need answers today."
One local expressed their disappointment with Democratic Mayor Lori Lightfoot, who will be facing re-election on February 28, saying, "There is a lack of resources in our community, we dont need anyone else to come in and suck those up. We're tired, Ms. Lightfoot."
Another Chicago local, Andre Smith, was speaking to the Chicago Sun-Times, and said, "The city wasnt transparent with the residents us and we are not going to be transparent with them. They didnt work with us, so were not working with them. Were not moving; were willing to be arrested."
Chicago, governed by Democrats, has received more than 3,667 migrants from the U.S.-Mexico border who crossed illegally. With President Joe Biden's open-border policies, many more will join them.
In October, the Democrat governor of Illinois, J.B. Pritzker signed a disaster proclamation to acquire resources to aid the illegal migrants being transported by bus to the state.
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