Chicago City Wire

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson has abolished the 60-day limit previously imposed on asylum-seeking migrants residing in city shelters. This decision was made amidst pressure from a group of aldermen, led by Alderman Andre Vasquez, as approximately 2,000 migrants were due to be evicted from city shelters on Thursday.

In a letter addressed to Mayor Johnson and signed by 16 aldermen, the group expressed their concerns that the 60-day eviction policy posed a significant threat to the health and safety of incoming migrants.

"To put it simply: the City should not be in the business of handing out eviction notices," the letter states.

The aldermen also called for improved food and medical care for those residing in the shelters, according to reports from the Chicago Tribune.

Johnson has not publicly stated whether his decision to revise his eviction policy was influenced by this letter from the aldermen.

In an official statement, Mayor Johnson's administration explained their decision: "The 60-day shelter stay limit was announced in the wake of the State’s announcement of increased investment in resettlement services and case management. Due to the delay in fully staffing case managers at every shelter, shelter stay limits have been extended by 60 days for the 5,673 individuals who were originally scheduled to exit shelter on January 16th."

According to information released by the mayor’s office, these migrants will now be permitted to remain in shelters for an additional 60 days.

"The new exit date for this group will be 60 days from their original exit date," the press release reads. "For the 2,119 residents who were scheduled to exit shelter between March 1st and March 28th, their new exit dates will be extended by 30 days from their originally planned exit date. Any new shelter residents will receive a 60-day notice upon entering the shelter system."

Mayor Johnson continues to appeal for federal funding to assist with the ongoing migrant crisis. He has stated that the cost, currently standing at $1.5 million per day, is likely to exceed the allocated $150 million budget by April. Johnson told reporters that the city cannot sustain such expenditure and that the city’s 2024 budget for migrants is insufficient, as reported by WTTW.