While the city of Chicago makes efforts to relocate them into shelters, hundreds of migrants have taken up residence inside a shuttle bus station at Chicago O’Hare International Airport for lengthy periods of time. These migrants spend their nights inside the shuttle bus hub at Terminal 1 of O’Hare International Airport. There, they use the shared airport restrooms and sleep on cardboard that has been set out on the floor. The initial purpose of the facility was just to serve as a transit hub for those passing through.
The movements of the migrants, who are hidden from view by a thick curtain, are tracked by a third-party firm. As the city of Chicago struggles to find long-term housing alternatives for migrants and waits for additional shelters to be created, the city has been lodging migrants at both O’Hare International Airport and Midway International Airport.
As part of his effort to relieve the burden placed on Texas border communities, the Republican governor of Texas, Greg Abbott, has flown migrants to a number of cities around the country, including Chicago, New York, and Los Angeles. Since May, the city of Chicago has created 15 new shelters and has relocated nearly 3,000 individuals.
Officials from the city are currently attempting to find solutions to the capacity issues while also ensuring that Chicago continues to be a sanctuary city for migrants. It is a delicate issue since migrants are looking for help and support in a new nation, while local governments are attempting to manage their placement and long-term care.