The deadline for applications is Friday. And while there are more than 100 suburbs in the county that are eligible, only two have applied, including Oak Park and Ford Heights.
Immigration
After the Taliban regained control of Afghanistan, an initial 80,000 Afghans were evacuated to the U.S. in 2021 following America’s botched withdrawal from the country. More than 2,300 Afghan evacuees have since resettled in Illinois, according the Illinois Department of Human Services.
The recent surge of migrants arriving in Illinois has brought with it a host of new challenges for state and local officials. Advocates say the state has not done enough to address educating the children of those coming across the border.
The City Council’s Budget Committee voted 20-8 to advance the proposal to the full City Council, which could vote on it as early as Wednesday. The panel also agreed to accept $48 million in federal and state grants to care for the migrants.
“Here to Work” advocates say extending legal work permits to long-term undocumented residents will help unite communities, stabilize the workforce and promote fair wages. Opponents argue that could come at a cost to taxpayers and drive down wages for legal citizens.
The City Council’s Budget Committee is set to consider the request at a meeting Monday, six weeks after the mayor pointedly declined to join Gov. J.B. Pritzker and Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle when they announced an agreement to set aside an additional $250 million to care for migrants.
The Chicago Department of Public Health says they are fighting the spread through testing and vaccinations — particularly in the Pilsen migrant shelter where the majority of cases are emerging.
Last year, a Belmont Cragin pastor opened his church’s doors to house a group of migrants who were sleeping at a police station. One of the men has now created a series of paintings describing his journey to America. His artwork will be on display this weekend.
The measure set for a final vote by the full City Council on April 17 would require officials to detail how many people are evicted from city shelters every week. In addition, officials must report on the type and number of complaints filed by shelter residents twice per month, according to the proposal.
In all, 31 Chicagoans have been diagnosed with measles since March 4.
City officials were under significant pressure from nearby residents to return the five fieldhouses at Brands Park, Gage Park, Piotrowski Park, Broadway Armory Park and Leone Park to park district use before summer programs, including day camps, were set to begin.
Since city officials began enforcing the 60-day limit on shelter stays, eight people were evicted on Sunday and Monday, with another seven evicted on Wednesday, according to city data.
Twenty-seven people were allowed to stay after they presented evidence that they had applied for public benefits that will make it possible for them to secure more permanent housing. Four others were allowed to stay because they are pregnant or have a disability, officials said.
No one will be evicted from the city’s migrant shelter in Pilsen, where 10 cases of measles had been confirmed as of late Thursday night.
Migrants evicted from a city shelter can return to the designated “landing zone” for buses from Texas at Polk and Desplaines streets in the West Loop, according to the policy imposed by Mayor Brandon Johnson.
City health officials did not immediately identify whether the latest people to contract measles are children or adults, nor did they disclose their condition, as they have with all other cases of measles.
