There is a homelessness crisis in Chicago. The number of residents without a proper home has tripled in just one year. Analysts have blamed it largely on the influx of migrants into the Windy City. With no successful plan in sight to stem the inflow of migrants, experts expect the disaster to get even worse.
How worse can it get?
There Are Almost 20,000 Homeless People
City officials are under intense pressure to provide housing solutions and calm tempers. So is the bustling city, which is brimming with new visitors whose numbers have massively overwhelmed the housing infrastructure. Unfortunately, no plan seems to have worked well enough, and things keep getting worse.
The statistics are depressing. In January 2024, the records showed 18,836 individuals without permanent housing—a massive difference from the 6,139 the previous year.
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The Crisis is Unprecedented
Sadly, the current level of homelessness in Chicago is the worst ever in the city’s history. The number of unsheltered new arrivals has surged by an alarming 960%. From 20 recorded last year, the number has now reached 212.
Consequently, hundreds, if not thousands, of make-shift sleeping areas litter the city, with many of these homeless persons at the mercy of the harsh weather.
A Delay in Work Permits Has Contributed to the Statistics
A major contributor to the spike in homeless migrants is the delay in processing their work permits. To obtain housing, the migrants have to qualify for work permits.
Unfortunately, work permit processing takes quite a while, during which the migrant candidates remain among the migrant population without permanent housing. Worse still, not every migrant meets the qualifications for the permits.
Old Residents Are Also Ending Up on the Streets
Chicago’s homelessness extends beyond new arrivals. Older residents are also having a taste of the bitter experience. Research has shown that the number of homeless non-new arrivals has spiked by 25% and is now at 1422.
These numbers have demonstrated to City officials that part of the crisis is traceable to internal issues. What this means is that the migrant influx isn’t completely to blame. There will still be homeless people even without the migrants.
Many Children Sleep on the Streets
Sadly, children have had to suffer from the crisis as well. Records have shown that children make up 30% of the number of homeless people in Chicago.
As a result, thousands of children have had to face the same health-threatening and even life-threatening outdoor weather conditions as adults. This reality, more than anything, communicates the urgency of the situation.
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Where Are the Migrants Coming From?
Given that Chicago and the state of Illinois don’t share any international boundary, it therefore begs the question, “Where are the migrants coming from?”
For political watchers, this question is easy to answer. Texas, which shares a boundary with Mexico, has been sending migrants to Chicago by bus. The Texas government sees Chicago as a perfect destination for the migrants, given Illinois’s Democrat-powered liberal stance on immigration.
Democratic Party’s Open Borders Policy
Texas is one of the states affected by President Joe Biden’s (and the Democratic Party’s) lenient border policies. Under the President, a record number of immigrants have poured into the country, straining state resources like never before.
As a result, border states such as Texas, Arizona, and California are battling a monumental humanitarian crisis. In response, the Republican-led Texas government decided to let Democrat cities such as Chicago have a taste of their own medicine.
The Strain on Resources
Since Texas Governor Greg Abbott began transporting migrants into blue cities in 2022, 43,058 have landed in Chicago. The state government has had a tough time catering to their welfare.
Maura McCauley of Chicago’s Department of Family and Support Services highlighted Chicago’s financial strain in catering to the older and newer populations. “Those things have been happening together. One didn’t stop in order to serve another population,” she revealed.
States Haven’t Yet Adjusted to Life Without COVID Support
According to McCauley, the city is running short of funds to tackle the issue, and this has increased the number of homeless migrants. States were faring better when COVID-19 support was flowing in.
“The recent uptick has occurred because pandemic era supports, like SNAP benefits and stimulus resources from the state and federal government, came to an end,” she said.
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Chicago Needs Federal Aid
Chicago, just like the other affected cities, needs urgent intervention. Consequently, the city has made multiple requests to federal authorities for financial assistance.
The federal government has some responsibility for the surging homelessness that has resulted from the migrant inflow. Therefore, it shouldn’t waste any time responding to the needs of these overburdened cities. The federal government must also intensify efforts to hasten the processing of work permits.
The City’s Efforts
City officials have dug deep to find solutions to the crisis. They’ve made quite an effort to increase shelter capacity, currently expanding the shelters to accommodate five times more people.
However, this has proven insufficient in accommodating the growing number of new migrant residents. The city authorities have shown considerable commitment to addressing the challenge.
The Problem Might Be Worse Than Official Figures Suggest
Despite the city’s efforts to combat homelessness, it hasn’t succeeded in calming residents’ minds. This is mostly due to a gap in trust between the people and the local government, as official figures don’t seem to reflect the reality on the street.
Many residents strongly believe that official figures have massively underreported the challenge on the streets. Chicago will have to win back the people’s confidence because if there is any time trust is needed, it is now.
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