During a Nov. 28 press conference, Johnson said the city has helped more than 10,000 migrants resettle in Chicago and to reunite with family and friends in various places. He further explained that officials are working with the state to speed up the process to grant migrants work authorizations in the hope that foreigners able to work will begin to support themselves and alleviate the strain on government resources. In the meantime, Chicago officials are partnering with churches to help provide for illegal aliens as the winter months approach as the city strains to manage the crisis. “This mission continues, but as winter fast approaches, our need for greater collaboration and coordination grows. And that is why we are mobilizing Chicago's faith community and our partners in the philanthropic community to meet this moment,” Johnson said. “And after extensive conversations and outreach with the faith community and our philanthropic partners, my administration formed a partnership of churches and community organizations around the city of Chicago,” the newly elected mayor added. “I'm excited to announce the Unity Initiative, a multi-layer approach that seeks to bring Chicago together, including an interfaith partnership dedicated to helping us move migrants out of police stations and onto the path of resettlement and self-sufficiency,” Johnson said. The city’s faith community will provide food, water, clothing, and other support services to local migrants who have made the journey from their country of origin to America’s southern border, then were transported to the Windy City. “Chicago's faith community has long nurtured the soul of Chicago from welcoming over 500,000 black people to Chicago during the great migration to helping thousands of asylum seekers today,” said Johnson. “It's been the faith community that has shown its tremendous support for families throughout generations. In the face of divisive forces that continue to desperately work to tear our city apart, we will overcome this humanitarian crisis, and we will do it together. And it will ultimately lead towards a better, stronger, and a safer Chicago.” Despite harkening to the city’s history of helping black Americans resettle during the Great Migration, where many fled the south between 1916 and 1970, city officials have increasingly found themselves at odds with black residents over shifting funding and support to foreign nationals who entered the U.S. illegally and made their way to Chicago. Throughout the year, black residents have slammed city officials for diverting resources to migrants. Earlier this year, residents of South Shore took legal action against the city over plans to turns a neighborhood high school into a migrant shelter. During a massive protest in May, black residents excoriated city officials, with one explaining, “Politically having over 500 people in our community will completely wipe out any interest we have. Are you aware that there are immigrant advocates at state houses all over this country who are — who are advocating for non-citizen voting in local elections? What if that happened here?” Even as recently as a month before Johnson’s announcement about the city’s partnership with churches, black residents remained furious over the city’s prioritization of helping illegal aliens.Brushing aside complaints from local residents about the city’s embrace of illegal aliens, Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson has now tapped local churches to begin housing migrants.
