Even though neighbors remain concerned, the city of Chicago may soon begin moving migrants into a shelter that previously served as an elementary school in the Woodlawn community.
In an interview with NBC 5, Ald. Jeannette Taylor, who represents Woodlawn, explained she's fed up with how the city devised plans to turn the former Wadsworth Elementary School into a shelter for migrants.
"The community clearly doesn't want it," she said. "There are really no supporting services for the folks that they're putting in the school..."
Woodlawn residents expressed their outrage at a meeting in recent weeks, saying the city began converting the building into a shelter without seeking any community input.
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Taylor says her ward is being gentrified and needs assistance.
“I've asked for [a] property tax freeze, I've asked for trust, to help homeowners to keep their homes. And so this is the administration, again, not listening to the people," the alderperson said.
The Chicago Tribune reported that city officials told Woodlawn residents during a meeting Saturday that no resources would be diverted from the community to support the shelter.
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"We need resources here in the form of legislation, which would allow the migrants the ability to work," said Ald. Gilbert Villegas, who represents the city's 36th Ward.
Villegas is calling on the federal government to offer the migrants additional support.
Along with the former Wadsworth school, Villegas says another state-run shelter is planning to open, and he wants to make sure that none of the shelters are permanent.
“It's a good way to use it as a triage and people come in and get them settled, and then move them to some type of permanent facility that would allow for them to begin to contribute to Chicago, this society," he said.
