The City of Chicago will be returning five parks to the public after using them to temporarily house illegal immigrants. Mayor Brandon Johnson’s office announced that starting this Saturday, the city will be decompressing temporary shelters at five park district facilities. Once all immigrants have been transitioned to other shelters, the parks will be restored for public use. Immigrants from Gage Park, Broadway Armory Park, Brands Park, Leone Park, and Piotrowski Park will be moved to nearby shelters to minimize disruptions with schooling and work.
Mayor Johnson expressed pride in his administration’s efforts and in the Chicagoans who provided shelter to new arrivals when it was needed. The mayor thanked alderpersons and communities who welcomed new neighbors with open arms and stated that the park facilities would be transitioned back for summer programming. Despite the city’s openness and accommodation to illegal immigrants, Johnson emphasized that the current situation is unsustainable without federal intervention. He blamed Texas Governor Greg Abbott for busing migrants to the sanctuary city, accusing him of attacking cities run by Black leaders with waves of migrants.
Governor Abbott has been bussing illegal immigrants to progressive-run cities for nearly two years as a means of drawing attention to the crisis at the southern border. The return of the parks to the public comes after Mayor Johnson had touted the city’s openness and welcoming nature towards illegal immigrants. However, he noted that the current situation was unsustainable without federal assistance. The mayor expressed gratitude to those who provided shelter to new arrivals and praised the community members and alderpersons who embraced their new neighbors.
The decision to return the parks to the public follows Mayor Johnson’s recognition that the current situation is unsustainable given the influx of illegal immigrants. He attributed the influx to Governor Abbott’s busing of migrants to the sanctuary city, accusing him of targeting cities run by Black leaders. The mayor praised the efforts of the community and leaders in providing shelter to new arrivals and expressed gratitude for their support.
The announcement regarding the return of the parks to the public comes after the Mayor of Chicago emphasized the city’s openness and accommodation towards illegal immigrants. Despite this, he acknowledged that the current situation is not sustainable without federal intervention. Mayor Johnson blamed the Texas Governor for busing migrants to the sanctuary city and thanked the community and alderpersons for their support in providing shelter to new arrivals. The mayor expressed pride in his administration’s efforts and in the Chicagoans who stepped up to welcome new arrivals.
