Moving day has finally arrived for numerous migrant families who will now be calling West Town Home, a shelter located on Western Avenue. However, this move is not without controversy. Recently, a couple of residents filed a lawsuit against the city in an attempt to prevent migrants from moving into the building.
Unfortunately for them, a judge denied their request for a temporary restraining order last week. Situated near Ohio and Western, the building has undergone repairs over the past few weeks to accommodate the new arrivals, including the addition of more bathroom facilities. Although the move-in date was postponed several times, this morning, buses pulled up to the shelter and migrant families, along with their personal belongings, were brought inside.
In the last half hour, two more buses arrived, providing a welcome change for these families who had been living in tents outside or in the lobbies of police stations. Meanwhile, in Oak Park, the village is relocating approximately 160 migrants who arrived within the last week. These individuals had been staying at Good Sheperd Lutheran Church and United Lutheran Church temporarily. However, Oak Park has now reached an agreement with the West Cook YMCA and the Carlton Hotel to provide accommodations.
This decision stemmed from a concerned resident who reached out to Oak Park officials during last week’s severe cold and snowstorm, offering their assistance for the migrants staying at a nearby Chicago Police district. Asylum seekers were brought to the police station as officials and volunteers worked to determine the next steps.
The interim solution turned out to be the Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, which opened its doors at midnight or 1 in the morning to start receiving asylum seekers. The Village of Oak Park has received a total of $550,000 to support these individuals. Later at 5 PM, there will be a preview of what could potentially be a contentious meeting in Brighton Park regarding an encampment. Reporting live from West Town, this is Casey Cronis for Fox 32 Chicago..
