Chicago city council meeting descends into chaos during debate over ‘sanctuary city’ status – with frustrated black residents shouting down aldermen over migrants being placed in their neighborhoods
Angry protesters stormed a Chicago City Council meeting during a debate over whether the city should remain a haven for migrants.
Residents, mostly African-Americans, flooded the gallery Tuesday evening with several waving signs that read: “The RENT is too damn HIGH!” and “BRING CHICAGO HOME.”
The meeting was called after 9th Ward Alderman Anthony Beale — who oversees a district on the predominantly black South Side — proposed an advisory referendum that would ask voters during the March primary whether Chicago should retain its sanctuary city status .
Allies of Mayor Brandon Johnson successfully stopped the City Council from sending the measure to voters.
Protesters disrupted the Chicago City Council meeting during a debate over whether the city should remain a haven for migrants
The residents waved signs that read “The RENT is too damn HIGH!” and ‘BRING CHICAGO HOME’
Tuesday’s meeting ended after the sergeant-at-arms was ordered to clear the room
Many residents expressed frustration over the millions of dollars the city spent on migrant shelters instead of poor communities.
As of September, there were about 20 active migrant shelters in the city. Seven were located on the historically underserved south and west sides.
“As a resident of the city of Chicago, do you believe we should remain a sanctuary city?” asked 41st Ward Alderman Anthony Napolitano.
The crowd responded with thunderous cheers, with the sentiment echoed by city leaders.
“We spend a lot of money every day,” said 9th Ward Alderman Anthony Beale. “I’m thinking up to $40 million a month, ladies and gentlemen. We make up to $40 million dollars a month.”
As the meeting degenerated into a shouting match, Rules Committee Chairwoman Michelle Harris ordered the sergeant-at-arms to clear the room.
The meeting was adjourned until November 16.
“In all my years, I’ve never seen anything like this,” said 15th Ward Councilman Raymond Lopez.
“But I’ve also never seen such a concerted effort to ignore the will of the people.”
Protesters were led from the stands after raising concerns about funding being diverted from poor communities to pay for the migrant crisis
9th Ward Alderman Anthony Beale proposed a referendum that would ask voters during the March primary whether Chicago should retain sanctuary city status, but it was blocked
As of September, there were about 20 active migrant shelters in the city, seven on the historically underserved south and west sides.
Chicago has opened its doors to more than 20,000 migrants in the past year, most of whom come from Venezuela
Johnson acknowledged that the issue of admitting more migrants has divided the city.
“There are circumstances that have created a level of tension that has unfortunately led to a certain level of stratification that the body has shown today and that we can reconcile,” Johnson said.
As winter approaches, the mayor has opened migrant camps, some of which are placed in black and Hispanic neighborhoods.
One community is Brighton Park, where the city has signed a $91,400-per-month agreement to lease land to build the first of the tent cities.
12th Councilwoman Julia Ramirez, who represents the district, claims the deal was made without her or the community’s knowledge.
More than 20,000 migrants have arrived in Chicago since last year.
Although most are from Venezuela, they come from all over the world, including Africa, Europe and the Middle East.
Since August 2022, Chicago has opened its doors to tens of thousands of migrants sent by Texas Governor Abbott and non-governmental organizations in states such as Colorado and New York.
The majority are seeking asylum “because of U.S. foreign policy that has created unstable economic and political conditions that endanger their safety and force them to travel thousands of miles to safety,” according to the city of Chicago’s website.
It adds: “American cities have traditionally not had the infrastructure to resettle large numbers of immigrants and refugees. This is federal responsibility.”
At the same time, the city has taken in 30,000 Ukrainian refugees in the past eighteen months.
Johnson attributed this achievement to the strong federal support he would like to see extended to the Latino migrants who are “sleeping on police station floors.”
Mayor Brandon Johnson acknowledged the conflict but believes both sides can ‘reconcile’ their differences
Tens of thousands of migrants were sent to the sanctuary city by Texas Governor Abbott and non-governmental organizations in states including Colorado and New York.
As winter approaches, the mayor has opened camps for migrants, some of which are placed in black and Hispanic neighborhoods
As space becomes scarcer, tent cities flood the streets and vacant lots
More than 3,000 migrants are living in airports and police stations while they wait for shelter.
As buildings become increasingly crowded, tent communities have invaded city streets and vacant lots.
Johnson has set aside $150 million for the migrant crisis in his 2024 budget proposal, although this is only expected to be enough for six months.
The mayor plans to consult state and federal sources for the rest.
In September, a group of Black homeowners protested outside City Hall, calling on the city to redirect funding spent on migrants to their neighborhoods.
“The South Side has been under-resourced and under-funded for years, decades,” community organizer Jessica Jackson said at the rally. “We have schools that need to be reopened.”
She continued, “For them to sympathize with their needs and say it’s a humanitarian crisis when black people have had a humanitarian crisis in terms of housing, employment and everything else.
“How are we being pushed back?”
Tuesday’s suspended Rules Committee meeting will resume Thursday.