The city of Chicago's plan to open a temporary shelter for migrants at the Amundsen Park field house has been placed on hold, officials confirmed Monday, following a number of days during which residents voiced concerns about the possibility.
A spokesperson for Mayor Brandon Johnson told NBC Chicago that the move to Amundsen Park was on hold late Monday evening, but didn't immediately provide details as to why.
Dozens gathered the park on Monday to protest the city’s decision to transform the field house in Galewood into a shelter for migrants. The facility, which could house as many as 200 asylum-seekers, was set to welcome migrants as soon as Wednesday.
The Amundsen Park Advisory Council, which had been opposed to the shelter's opening, released a statement, saying it won't stop until "all parks located in communities like Galewood and Austin are taken off the list of potential migrant shelters."
"While we applaud Mayor Brandon Johnson’s decision to pause the hostile takeover of Amundsen Park, our community sanctuary and asset, we will not stop until all parks located in communities like Galewood and Austin are taken off the list of potential migrant shelters, and receive the necessary investments from the Chicago Park District," the group's statement read. "We remain open to honest dialogue and will continue to push the city of Chicago to rethink its status as a 'Sanctuary City.'"
Ald. Chris Taliaferro, whose 26th Ward includes the Galewood community, wrote a letter to residents, explaining that Cristina Pacione-Zayas, the deputy chief of staff to Mayor Johnson, informed him that the mayor's team "will be looking into the proposed alternate site that was submitted to them this past weekend."
"They will conduct an immediate inspection of the proposed site and if this site offers an opportunity to house migrants, Amundsen Park would not have to close," he said, in part.
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The proposed site, according to the alderman, is at 1900 N. Austin, and its owner has already had discussions with the mayor's office.
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