Migrants in Chicago: State funds hotel stays for hundreds of asylum seekers amid 'unprecedented' influx

CHICAGO - The Illinois state government says they will be paying to temporarily house migrants at hotels as the Chicago area sees a recent increase in asylum seekers.

Chicago officials requested assistance from the state after Texas Governor Greg Abbott sent an "unprecedented" number of asylum seekers to Illinois in recent days. 

State officials say the increased amount of migrants sent to Chicago from the Texas border has been done with no coordination or advanced notice.

The Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) is working with the city of Chicago to find hotel spaces, and the city is providing transportation. 

Migrants placed in hotel rooms will be moved to a former CVS in Little Village when construction of that shelter is completed in January. Additional shelter sites are being evaluated. 

The state made approximately 30 hotel rooms available on Saturday night, with the remaining hotel rooms for up to 200 people becoming available today. 

"IDHS continues to welcome our new neighbors with support services and assistance with work-permit applications, which will ultimately hasten their journey to self-sufficiency," said Dulce Quintero, IDHS Secretary Designate.

The state approved a $160 million investment into a new emergency response plan for asylum seekers in November. Funding for the hotels will come from the new investment. 

Since Gov. Pritzker announced the additional funding last month, the state says fewer individuals have been sleeping outside police stations. 

The newest investment builds on $478 million of state funding committed to asylum seeker response in Fiscal Years 2023 and 2024.

The city of Chicago says as of Sunday, Dec. 24, there are 14,554 residents in 27 active shelters and 312 total awaiting placement, while 17 people are waiting at CPD districts. There are also 295 people waiting at O'Hare Airport. 

As far as city officials are aware, 6 buses arrived on Saturday: 2 buses at the city’s designated Landing Zone and 4 buses dropped off outside the city. 

Officials say 4 buses are expected Sunday.