Members of Chicago’s City Council are opposing new Democratic Mayor Brandon Johnson’s plan to house the city’s recent influx of migrants in tents, ABC 7 Chicago reported.
Johnson is planning to move migrants, who are currently being housed in city police stations, to winterized tent cities with cots, running water and heating and cooling systems, ABC 7 reported. Johnson is asking his city council to find two acre spaces in their wards for the potential tent cities, but the largely Democratic aldermen are pushing back on that plan, the outlet noted.
Johnson asked his city to make sacrifices for the migrants, but even members of his own party are hesitant.
“I’ve looked in my ward. I just don’t have any available space,” 2nd ward Alderman Brian Hopkins said, per ABC.
“I have one of the most dense wards in the city,” Hopkins added. The Democrat did admit the current situation is untenable. “We need to get those human beings out of those inhumane conditions right now, and clearly, a tent with some type of secure facility is a slight improvement over what they are currently living in.”
“I’m a believer in help your people first, help yourselves first, help your community first. Then, reach out and help others,” Alderman David Moore said, per ABC. (RELATED: Blue City Mayor Says He’s Held To A ‘Different Standard’ For Being Black)
Chicago has received nearly 7,000 migrants from Texas alone, according to Texas Gov. Greg Abbott.
Texas has bused over 35,000 migrants to self-declared sanctuary cities.
Over 11,300 to DC
Over 13,300 to NYC
Over 6,700 to Chicago
Over 2,600 to Philadelphia
Over 1,000 to Denver
Over 480 to LAOur busing mission provides critical relief to overwhelmed Texas border towns.
— Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) September 5, 2023
The migrant wave has put stress on the city’s aldermen, who claim they’ve had no support from the Biden administration. “No communication [from the White House ] whatsoever,” Alderman Raymond Lopez previously told the Daily Caller.