Tempers and emotions flared at Wednesday’s Chicago City Council meeting over the vote to use $51 million for migrants who are struggling to find shelter and food in the city. Things were tense at the outset of meeting, starting with heated comments from the public.

“That’s our building in South Shore. It was promised to us in 2014,” said a CPS teacher to City Council about allowing migrants to reside in a shuttered CPS school. Then she addressed the mayor about the $51 million, saying, “Brandon, don’t make us come for you. Mayor Johnson. Do the right thing.”

Ald. Raymond Lopez (15th Ward) voted against the funding ordinance because of his fiscal concerns over former Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s expenditures for migrants. “Where did $112 million go?” Lopez asked. Then he invoked the famous line from the 1996 movie, “Jerry Maguire.” Lopez shouted, “Show me the money!”

In the end, a crying and conflicted Ald. Jeanette Taylor (20th Ward) voted for the expenditure. “I’m conflicted because in my heart, I know what’s right. It’s right to want to help other people because as Black people, that’s what we do. But when the hell are y’all going to help us?”

In the end, the vote was 34-13 with three not voting.

In addition to Lopez, the following voted no: Alds. Greg Mitchell (7th Ward), Michelle Harris (8th Ward), Anthony Beale (9th Ward), Marty Quinn (13th Ward), David Moore (17th Ward), Derrick Curtis (18th Ward), Monique Scott (24th Ward), Emma Mitts (37th Ward), Nicholas Sposato (38th Ward), Anthony Napolitano (41st Ward), Brendan Reilly (42nd Ward) and Jim Gardiner (45th). The three who left the floor and did not vote were Alds. Brian Hopkins (2nd Ward), Silvana Tabares (23rd Ward) and Debra Silverstein (50th Ward).

The WTTW News Spotlight Politics team discusses the vote and the divisions.