Chicago migrants to settle in Greektown shelter as more buses arrive – NBC Chicago

With more migrant buses sent from Texas expected to arrive in Chicago this week, some Near West Side residents and leaders expressed concern at a crowded community meeting on Wednesday as nearly 200 migrants are expected to move into a hostel on the Chicago’s Greektown neighborhood next week.

“I’m a Christian,” said West Loop resident LaRuby Sangster. “I believe in helping everyone. I want to help migrants but I also want to help people who come here. It would be one thing to bring people in and have the services and the support, but you don’t have them. You don’t have it for the people here!

As many as 196 migrants will begin moving into the closed Parthenon Guest House, located at 310 S. Halsted St., next Friday, according to a Chicago Sun-Times report. There are plans to house single adults without children, but Sun-Times officials said the plan was “still under consideration”.

Each room will house several migrants, with some rooms accommodating four to six people, the Sun-Times said.

According to officials, the city will not conduct background checks on new residents, although additional security measures are in place, 34th Ward Ald. Bill Conway said Wednesday.

“The mayor’s office assured me that there would be four security guards 24/7,” Conway told NBC Chicago.

Conway said he heard from Mayor Brandon Johnson’s office just days ago and set up Wednesday’s meeting in an effort to address residents’ frustrations and concerns.

“I made no secret of my frustration with the lack of detail and the short notice given to me by the mayor’s office regarding this plan,” Ald said. Bill Conway said in a statement.

From October 2022 to February 2023, the same hostel had previously served as a temporary refuge for migrants. At that time, the city declared that the Parthenon could only accommodate 136 people.

As of September 6, city officials said 6,828 migrants were staying in 18 temporary shelters. 1,997 migrants are currently awaiting placement, of which 1,529 are staying at police stations and 462 migrants are staying at O’Hare International Airport, the city said.

More than 13,500 migrants have arrived in Chicago from Texas since August 2022, officials said. According to Ald. Byron Sigcho-Lopez, three more buses are expected to arrive on Thursday.

“If the state can find $52 million to house and house them, it can find $52 million to house or house our homeless population,” Arzette James-Wallace said Wednesday.