Plan to move Chicago migrants into Amundsen Park Fieldhouse 'placed on hold'

CHICAGO - Buses filled with migrants continue to roll into Chicago.

As the city continues looking for housing solutions, some neighborhoods are not on board with the proposed plans.

City officials recently announced that migrants would move into Amundsen Park Fieldhouse, which angered residents as it is home to a football program, after-school activities and senior care.

However, on Monday night, it was announced that the plan to move migrants into the fieldhouse would be put on hold as another site is explored.

The decision comes after Galewood residents rallied in the morning to try and prevent the Amundsen Park Fieldhouse from becoming a shelter for migrants.

'The only place we can gather as a family as a community to feel safe. It feels like a community where we can be comfortable about what we do and what we engage with to have a sense of community. Why take that away from us at a time we really need it the most?"

A meeting was held last week about the potential new migrant shelter, which left many residents heated. Community members called out Mayor Brandon Johnson for potentially taking away a valued resource in the community.

"And what I want to say is to Mayor Brandon Johnson: We are disappointed in you. This is the community that supported you. How dare you?" one resident said.

Neighborhood activists had said fieldhouse staff members were already asked to turn over their keys. It was scheduled to close Tuesday, with migrants moving in on Wednesday through Friday.

Alderman Chris Taliaferro, of the 29th Ward, spoke to Mayor Brandon Johnson and several within the administration, urging them to stop the takeover of the park.

He released the following statement Monday night:

"This afternoon I spoke to Deputy Chief of Staff to Mayor Johnson, Cristina Pacione-Zayas, who informed me that Mayor Johnson's team will be looking into the proposed alternate site that was submitted to them this past weekend. They will conduct an immediate inspection of the proposed site and if the site offers an opportunity to house migrants, Amundsen Park would not have to close. The proposed site is located at 1900 N. Austin and the Mayor's team has already had conversations with its owner. Also, as of now, the closure of Amundsen Park has been placed on hold."

Activists say they won’t give up and they threatened to block the doors to the fieldhouse in protest, to keep migrants from moving in.