Migrants Get 6 Months of Housing Under New Shelter Plan

A new migrant shelter in Chicago is expected to allow six-month occupancy, compared to the city's current 60-day policy.

St. Bartholomew Catholic Church in the city's Portage Park has been described as an intergovernmental, faith-based shelter expected to house roughly 300 migrants who enter the city after crossing the U.S.-Mexico border. A partnership between the city, Cook County, the Archdiocese of Chicago and the Zakat Foundation translates to no costs being expended by the city itself.

Newsweek reached out via email to the mayor's office and the Zakat Foundation for comment.

"Shortly after migrants started arriving in Chicago, the Archdiocese of Chicago began conducting tours for city, county and state representatives of several archdiocesan properties that could be used as temporary housing for asylum seekers," the archdiocese told Newsweek via email on Wednesday.

"We are pleased to provide much needed shelter to the new arrivals, and we are grateful to the people of Our Lady of the Rosary Parish for providing space at St. Bartholomew Parish."

The city's typical 60-day shelter limit will vary at this location in the 4900 block of West Addison Street. The Archdiocese and Zakat Foundation told local NBC affiliate Chicago 5 that the limit will not be implemented here, with determinations for migrants occurring at a later date once the current six-month agreement expires.

In mid-March, the city announced an update to its 60-day shelter stay limit that was originally implemented due to increased migrant resettlement in the city. Weather and a delay in staffing case managers at every shelter were attributed to allowing extended stays up to that point for some migrants who could provide exemptions.

The city's migrant dashboard, last updated June 7, shows just over 43,000 total asylum-seekers entering Chicago since August 31, 2022. That has included more than 7,100 individuals reunited with sponsors, and nearly 17,000 individuals who resettled.

New migrant arrivals tracked by the mayor's office and shared with city alders showed 424 arrivals and 579 shelter exits as of June 6. Total shelter exits have exceeded 30,000.

Migrant shelters in Chicago have dwindled from 28 at the beginning of this year to the 17 that currently allow occupancy, according to CBS News.

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson and Cook County President Toni Preckwinkle, the latter of whom co-announced a plan with Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker in February for taxpayers to fund $70 million more toward migrant services, were in attendance on Tuesday during a "welcome party."

"We're going to do everything in our power to bring people together," Johnson said, according to NBC 5. "The workforce, county, city, state, philanthropic community, the faith community. All of us are leaning in."

The Zakat Foundation, which works internationally to help refugees and displaced persons, said in a statement that it will fully administer and fund the shelter's wraparound services which include staffing, logistics and educational and training programs. It will also coordinate with Chicago Public Schools to enroll students.

The shelter, which was hoped to complete renovations and accommodate migrants in April, has faced delays while work remains ongoing. Fox 32 Chicago reported that the two leased buildings on the city's northwest side is still undergoing renovations.

But City Alderman Ruth Cruz, of the 30th Ward, told the outlet that even as renovations continue the project is about 90 percent complete. An older convent building on the site within her district is currently accepting migrants.

Newsweek reached out to Cruz's office via email for comment.

As of Tuesday, 45 residents had moved onto the property within the past two weeks, according to the Chicago Sun-Times.