Illinois scraps plan for building migrant winter camp due to toxic soil risk

By CLAIRE SAVAGE and MELISSA PEREZ WINDER
Associated Press/Report for America

CHICAGO (AP) — Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s administration has canceled plans to build a temporary winter camp for migrants in Chicago, citing the risk of contaminants at the former industrial site. Despite recent assurances from Mayor Brandon Johnson’s office that the shelter site was safe for temporary use, Pritzker’s office pulled the plug on the project Tuesday. That came after the state’s environmental agency reviewed a nearly 800-page environmental report on the site. Chicago is struggling to house more than 24,000 migrants who have arrived from the border with Mexico since August 2022. With the coldest winter weather just ahead, hundreds of asylum-seekers are still awaiting placement at airports, police stations and other locations.