Conflicts mount over Chicago's looming migrant evictions

Gov. JB Pritzker, mutual aid groups and several alders are calling on Mayor Brandon Johnson to delay the eviction of hundreds of migrants from shelters scheduled for next week.

Driving the news: Illinois' governor and city officials this week expressed concerns over the looming eviction deadline, which has already been moved back twice due to winter weather. But Johnson hasn't said whether he'll allow affected migrants to stay in city shelters past Feb. 1.

Why it matters: The issue highlights the challenges of trying to move long-term shelter residents to independent housing to make room for more than 200 migrants still sleeping at O'Hare or in police stations, and more potentially on the way.

What they're saying: "Just dumping people out on the street doesn't seem to be a good plan," Ald. Scott Waguespack told Axios on Wednesday.

• "I mean, are they just going to shut the doors and shut them out?"

The other side: Johnson avoided directly answering questions about the eviction plan after Wednesday's City Council meeting, saying, "The flow of migrants that are coming into the city of Chicago and the flow to exit has not kept up."

Catch up fast: Last Friday, Johnson briefed alders on a strategy that halts new city-funded shelter construction and leaves expansion up to the state — which pledged $160 million to, among other things, provide 2,200 new beds.

• Pritzker has criticized Johnson's plan, saying the city hasn't helped the state find new shelter locations.
• But Johnson claimed yesterday that "the state has received a number of locations … and they're in conversations with the archdiocese."

Between the lines: Johnson and other alders appear to want some of those new shelters launched beyond city limits.

• "The State of Illinois has offered about $40 million for municipalities outside of Chicago [to shelter migrants], and no one has taken them up on it," Johnson said.
• "I hope that some villages do take them up on it and we can offer up a template that they can use as a model."

The latest: State officials on Wednesday confirmed to Axios that no other municipalities have applied for the state funds to build a shelter.

What we're watching: Chicago is "going to work really hard to continue to find as many options as we possibly can so no one has to be out on the street," Johnson said.