Chicago migrants: West Town shelter will go forward after judge denies temporary restraining order

CHICAGO (WLS) -- On Friday, a judge denied a temporary restraining order for a building at 526 N. Western Ave. in West Town to be used as a migrant shelter.

West Town neighbors took the legal fight over the shelter before a judge.

"We know something has to be done to fix the situation, but as a law abiding citizen in Chicago I feel like I don't really have a voice," said James Cole, plaintiff.

Cole and other neighbors said they filed the lawsuit because he felt there was a lack of community input and transparency as the city bypassed the traditional zoning and permit process to convert the building in the 500 block of North Western Avenue into a shelter.

"I think the ruling today has no impact on the substance of the case itself. The question is whether or not you can compel the city to follow it's own rules," said attorney Neal McNight, who represents the plaintiffs.

Migrant families were supposed to move into the space Wednesday, but it wasn't yet ready. Now, they're set to move in early next week.

Initially the shelter was to house 200 single men, but after a community meeting the plan changed to allow it to house families and young children.

READ MORE: Chicago migrant shelter in West Town to house up to 200 single men, concerning community

Cole fears once the shelter opens it will be difficult to prove their case, especially because the judge ruled Friday residents must prove they have suffered damages.

"It's even more disappointing as it feels the court has told us that we don't really have any avenue to address the situation," Cole said.

The ruling is a big win for the Johnson administration as it faces other lawsuits filed by residents opposing other migrant shelter openings.

"There's a degree of urgency that I have to make sure as Mayor of the City of Chicago to ensure that people are not sleeping outside and not sleeping on floors," Mayor Brandan Johnson said.

Who's performing the construction work is another point of contention.

A handful of union carpenters along with their picket line rat mascot stood in protest along Western Avenue Wednesday. They were contesting who is carrying out the quick-turn construction at the industrial space that will house 200 asylum seekers, including families and young children.

RELATED: West Town migrant shelter opening pushed back as unions protest construction work

Workers continued to come and go through a back alley entrance. A site supervisors said a team of about two dozen contractors are on a tight two-week timeline to make the space livable.

Mayor Brandon Johnson also confirmed Friday the city had signed a contract to move forward with a controversial plan to build a migrant tent camp in Brighton Park.