>> MAYOR BRANDON JOHNSON SAYS A SHUTTERED PUBLIC SCHOOL IN WOODLAWN WILL NO LONGER BE USED AS A SHELTER FOR MIGRANTS.

THE MOVE TO CLOSE THE SHELTER AT THE FORMER WADSWORTH ELEMENTARY SCHOOL COMES 15 MONTHS AFTER IT OPENED AMID AN UPROAR.

WBTW NEWS REPORTER HEATHER SHARON JOINS US NOW WITH MORE.

HEATHER, REMIND US WHY THE SHELTER AT WADSWORTH, WHICH IS AT 64TH STREET AND UNIVERSITY AVENUE.

WHY IS IT SO CONTROVERSIAL?

WELL, IN FEBRUARY 2023, MAYOR LORI LIGHTFOOT MOVED FORWARD WITH THE PLAN TO OPEN IT UP.

DESPITE VEHEMENT OBJECTIONS FROM ALDERMAN, JEANETTE TAYLOR WHO SAID IT DIDN'T MAKE ANY SENSE TO PUT MOSTLY LATINO MIGRANTS IN THE COUNTRY AFTER REQUESTING ASYLUM IN A PREDOMINANTLY BLACK NEIGHBORHOOD THAT DIDN'T HAVE ANY SERVICES.

>> TO HELP THEM TO ADJUST TO THEIR NEW HOMETOWN.

SHE WAS ALSO CONCERNED THAT IT WOULD EXACERBATE TENSION BETWEEN LONGTIME RESIDENTS OF WOODLAWN WHO ARE FURIOUS THAT THE CITY IT SPENT 1.5 MILLION DOLLARS TO RENOVATE THE SCHOOL INTO A SHELTER AFTER SAT VACANT FOR MORE THAN A DECADE.

AND OF COURSE, IT BECAME FLASHPOINT WITH LONGTIME RESIDENTS SAYING THAT THE SHELTER REDUCE THE QUALITY OF PLACE IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD AND LED TO SURGE IN SORT OF QUALITY OF LIFE CRIMES LIKE LOITERING AND LITTERING.

WHAT IT'S WORTH.

IT'S THE LATEST MIGRANT SHELTER TO BE CLOSED BY THE JOHNSON ADMINISTRATION, WHICH IS NOW OPERATING 16 FACILITIES.

WHAT IS THE LATEST ON THE CITY'S EFFORTS CARE FOR ITS NEWEST ARRIVALS?

WELL, IN ALL, 41,000 PEOPLE HAVE MADE IT TO CHICAGO, MOST ON BUSES PAID FOR BY TEXAS GOVERNOR GREG ABBOTT.

>> THE CITY HAS REALLY WORKED TO REDUCE THE SHELTER POPULATION WITH RIGHT NOW STANDS AT ABOUT 8400 PEOPLE THAT IS DOWN SIGNIFICANTLY FROM THE PEAK IN THE EARTH LIKE LATE 2023 EARLY 2024.

AND THE JOHNSON ADMINISTRATION'S THEY'VE CRACKED CRACKED THE CODE ON HOW TICKS HUMANELY CARE FOR THE MIGRANTS WHILE NOT SORT OF BREAKING THE CITY'S SPRING BANK, BUT THE CITY BEGIN ENFORCING ALSO CONTROVERSIAL 60 DAY LIMIT ON SHELTER, STAYS BEGINNING IN MID-MARCH.

HOW MANY MIGRANTS HAVE BEEN EVICTED SO FAR?

ABOUT 700 PEOPLE HAVE BEEN ASKED TO LEAVE THE CITY'S MIGRANT SHELTERS.

AND WE DON'T REALLY KNOW WHERE THEY WIN BECAUSE THE CITY SAYS THEY'RE NOT TRACKING IT.

SO IT'S A BIG CONCERN FOR SOME MEMBERS OF THE CHICAGO CITY COUNCIL WORRY ABOUT A SURGE IN CHICAGO'S UNHOUSED POPULATION.

BUT THE MAYOR HAS SAID THAT THE SHELTERS CAN BE AS PERMANENT SOLUTION FOR THE MIGRANTS AND THAT THEY HAVE TO GET ON THEIR FEET.

THE BIG TEST WILL BE IN THE EARLY MONTHS WEEKS OF JUNE WHEN FAMILIES WILL BE ASKED TO LEAVE THE SHELTER ONCE THEY HIT THAT 60 DAY LIMIT AND THE SCHOOL YEAR AT ITS WORSE.

NOW FOR MORE THAN A YEAR, THE CITY OFFICIALS, THEY'VE BEEN BRACING FOR A SURGE OF MORE MIGRANTS COMING INTO CHICAGO IN ANTICIPATION OF THE DEMOCRATIC NATIONAL CONVENTION EXPECTING A REPUBLICAN GOVERNOR GREG ABBOTT, A IN TEXAS TO SEND MORE.

>> BEFORE THE DNC.

BUT THAT GATHERING IS LESS THAN 100 DAYS AWAY.

ANY SIGNS OF THIS INCREASE?

THEY'VE BEEN PREPARING FOR.

NO HUGE SURGE HAS MATERIALIZED YET.

BUT THE MIGRANTS ARE STILL COMING IN GREATER NUMBERS.

SO THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO ARRIVED FROM THE SOUTHERN BORDER INCREASED ABOUT 8% IN THE LAST MONTH AS COMPARED TO THE MONTH BEFORE.

>> BUT THAT IS PRETTY STANDARD UP FOR WHAT THIS CRISIS HAS SORT OF BEEN SINCE IT BEGAN.

THE QUESTION IS, IS, IS THERE ANYTHING THAT THE CITY CAN DO TO PREVENT THE SURGE?

AND THE ANSWER IS REALLY NO.

HOWEVER, PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN THIS WEEK ASKED SORT OF FOR NEW RULES RESTRICTING ON THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO CAN REQUEST ASYLUM.

THAT COULD REDUCE THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE ATTEMPTING TO CROSS THE SOUTHERN BORDER AND REQUEST ASYLUM.

BUT THOSE ARE FAR OUT OF THE CONTROL OF MAYOR BRANDON JOHNSON.

AND OF COURSE, ORGANIZERS FOR THE DEMOCRATIC NATIONAL CONVENTION PAY MORE TO KEEP AN EYE ON HOW TO SHARON.

THANKS SO MUCH.

THANKS, BRANDIS.