Chicago City Wire

The site in Brighton Park neighborhood, selected by Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson's administration for a migrant tent encampment, was found to be contaminated with high levels of lead, arsenic and mercury. An environmental study, which included an analysis of groundwater, soil, and soil gas samples collected at the site, revealed these findings. 

The 800-page report indicated that the amount of arsenic, lead, mercury and manganese exceeded acceptable levels in some sample locations.

“Mercury exceeded the residential outdoor inhalation exposure route,” according to the City Hall commissioned environmental study.

The Johnson administration made this report public on Sunday and posted it at the bottom of a web page dedicated to "frequently asked questions" regarding the ongoing migrant crisis. The report states that city crews placed a minimum of 6 inches of compacted clean stone throughout the site to limit access to contaminated soils.

The administration of Gov. J.B. Pritzker, which has allocated funding for setting up the winterized encampment, informed WTTW that migrants will not be moved onto the Brighton Park site at 38th and California until the state environmental protection agency reviews the environmental report.

Despite objections from 12th Ward Alderwoman Julia Ramirez last week, Johnson's administration announced that construction of the winterized tent encampment for asylum-seeking migrants was scheduled to begin.

In a previous report by Chicago City Wire, Ramirez expressed her concerns about potential health risks posed by living conditions at the encampment. She stated she "cannot condone a living situation that puts residents, new and old, at serious health risk," expressing doubts about claims from Johnson's administration that toxic chemicals had been removed from the encampment location.

Ramirez further criticized what she perceived as poor communication and lack of transparency from city officials in an open letter to her constituents: "After a history of bad communication and a lack of transparency from the city, this is not enough to ensure the safety and health of the new arrivals expected to live on the site."