J.B. Pritzker stops development of migrant tent site in Chicago’s Brighton Park, states health concerns
Tents can be seen at a site where the state had planned to set up winterized base camps to house up to 2,000 migrants at 38th and California in Brighton Park.
Ashlee Rezin / Sun-Times
Citing “serious environmental concerns,” Gov. J.B. Pritzker on Tuesday said the state is ending development of a proposed migrant camp in Brighton Park.
The decision follows the city of Chicago’s release of an environmental report Friday night that showed the location at 38th Street and California Avenue required cleanup of heavy metals and toxic chemicals.
“My administration is committed to keeping asylum seekers safe as we work to help them achieve independence,” Pritzker said in a statement. “We will not proceed with housing families on a site where serious environmental concerns are still present.”
Mayor Brandon Johnson’s administration on Monday said the site can be made safe for temporary residential use by removing the harmful metals and other substances.
The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency disagreed, saying under its guidelines “insufficient sampling and remediation at the Brighton Park site does not meet state cleanup standards for residential use.”
The agency began reviewing the almost 800-page report prepared by a consultant to the city over the weekend.
The state halted construction Sunday.
“Given the significant time required to conduct additional sampling, to process and analyze results, and to implement corresponding further remediation, the state will work with the city to identify alternate shelter options,” the governor’s office said.
The state also announced it will expedite plans for an existing building in Little Village that would provide 200 beds to shelter families and people with disabilities.
The governor’s office said it requested alternate sites from the city — and that the state is working with the Archdiocese of Chicago to explore other options.
“My administration remains committed to a data-driven plan to improve the asylum seeker response and we will continue to coordinate with the city of Chicago as we work to expand available shelter through winter,” Pritzker said.
Ald. Andre Vasquez (40th), chair of the Chicago City Council’s Committee on Immigrant and Refugee Rights, welcomed the state’s decision.
“It makes sense to find the safest way possible because we don’t want situations where, years from now, we find out people are ill — especially when you’re talking about kids that are on that site. It makes sense to do all our due diligence to treat people the way we would all want to be treated in that situation,” Vasquez said.
Johnson adviser Jason Lee had defended the mayor’s decision to proceed with construction at the contaminated and abandoned industrial site in Brighton Park and insisted remediation work had made it safe.
“A huge percentage of sites across the city that have to be developed require remediation. That’s just the nature of being in an urban environment,” Lee told the Sun-Times.