Chicago migrants, West Ridge residents ask city not to move families from neighborhood

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Several migrant families are fighting plans to move them to new housing.

They have said the move would keep their kids from going to summer school.

Over 40 Venezuelan migrant families and West Ridge community members are pleading with city leaders to let them stay at a YMCA, instead of being moved all the way to Daley College on the other side of the city.

The migrants said they've been at this location for a month, and have quickly been embraced by those living in the neighborhood.

"The neighborhood is very nice for my daughters and the other kids," one migrant said.

The community even opened a "store" inside Rogers Elementary School, where families have access to clothing, personal hygiene items and more.

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Some children are even enrolled in summer learning programs at another school nearby, and their parents said moving them will further add to their already mounting emotional trauma.

"When the children found out, they started crying and none of the children want to go," said Yexis, another migrant.

These families said they are grateful to be where they are, and community members have said West Ridge is ready to welcome them full-time.

"This is what West Ridge does. This is what Rogers Park does. We are known for embracing everybody; we are known for welcoming everybody," West Ridge resident Jill Hallet said. "The kids are making connections, the kids are going on field trips to the libraries the parks, they're learning about the resources, the kids are playing with each other."

Hallatt is the mother of two kids at Rogers Elementary.

City leaders have said the migrant families are being moved elsewhere to make room for migrants still sleeping on police station floors.

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson released a statement Friday, saying the move is expected to take place Sunday.

Mayor Johnson said the city will provide similar arrangements at Hurley Elementary near Daley College, but it's still upsetting these migrants to leave the people they've gotten close to.

"We've really set up a home and embraced them. They're our neighbors now," a music teacher at Phillip Rogers Fine Arts said.

Many of the migrants said they had to travel through about nine different countries to get to Chicago.

One woman said she doesn't want government housing or assistance, she just wants the families to continue with some of the normalcy that the community has offered them.

"We just want them to take some prudence and give us some time, moving us there would be like us starting from zero," migrant Esteamar Gutierrez said.

Alderwoman Debra Silverstein, with the 50th Ward, said the city is continuing to handle the housing situation by emerging needs.

It's not clear how long migrants will be at Daley College, but the city has said it plans to use that college until Aug. 1.

Full statement from Chicago mayor:

"The City's overall goal is to ensure that shelters are a short-term solution, and to relieve pressure on Chicago Police Department district stations by providing shelter for more than 400 single new arrivals. After careful consideration of the impact this would have on asylum seeking families and the overall mission, and to provide more time for planning by the receiving community, the City has decided to reschedule moving migrant families from High Ridge YMCA to Daley College to Sunday, June 11.

"To allow for a smooth transition, migrant families at the High Ridge YMCA relocating to Daley will be able to utilize similar programs offered by CPS at Hurley Elementary and receive the same services they currently receive that are offered at all City shelter locations. The Daley College community has been very welcoming to the new arrivals already in residence, and our administration is certain it will provide a warm welcome to these families as well."