No emergency action needed to stop possible Galewood shelter for Chicago migrants: judge
City struggling to find space for migrants in Chicago
CHICAGO (WLS) -- West Side residents have been fighting to keep their park fieldhouse and prevent it from becoming a migrant shelter.
They took their fight to a Cook County judge Tuesday morning.
In that hearing, she denied there was a need for emergency action because, an attorney for the city said, they have not yet decided whether the Amundsen Park Fieldhouse will become a migrant shelter or not.
They say they are looking at another possible site, as well.
If they do decide on Amundsen, the city said, no migrants would be moved in for seven days.
The city also acknowledged all park programming has been moved from the park to other park locations, but said the fieldhouse itself is still open to residents.
Youth football and cheerleading leagues are run out of the park, as well as many senior and exercise programs.
Residents feel the fieldhouse's future is still in limbo.
"I think it's an emergency. I don't know when they're coming. They were coming. If we were not out here every day fighting the fight for our park, they would be in there. So I don't understand the judge's decision, but I really can't speak on her decision. I think that's totally incorrect," said Gerald Harris, Windy City Youth Football and Cheer director.
If the fieldhouse does become a shelter, the judge said residents could re-file an emergency hearing to try to stop it.
Dozens of Galewood residents attended the Zoom court appearance.
Five residents filed the temporary restraining order.
