Illinois Officials Plan to House Nearly 700 Migrants in Closed Chicago Kmart

Hundreds of migrants bused to Chicago, Illinois, from mostly Texas may soon be housed in an old Kmart store if state officials get their way.

Since Texas began busing border crossers and illegal aliens to Chicago, a sanctuary city, more than 5,100 have arrived. The overwhelming majority of those new arrivals, nearly 4,000, have sought to be sheltered by the city, paid for by state and local taxpayers.

Now, Illinois officials with the Department of Human Services are seeking to house nearly 700 migrants in an old Kmart superstore building that closed in 2016. The property sits on the city’s Southwest Side and locals are already raising alarms over the plan.

FOX32 Chicago reports:

“I have major concerns for the safety of the local community and the people who will be housed at this location,” Tabares said in a statement, adding that she’s urged state lawmakers to engage local residents. [Emphasis added]

…

“I have serious questions and concerns about the safety and humanity of the proposed Kmart facility and its amenities,” Guerrero-Cuellar said. “I have asked state agencies to pause this project until they can ensure this facility is constructed into adequate housing for young migrant families.”
[Emphasis added]

Chicago Mayor's Office / Facebook

The plan comes as Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s (D) administration has outraged residents living in the city’s South Side over spending millions in tax dollars to house newly arrived border crossers and illegal aliens in an abandoned school building.

Some residents have said Lightfoot’s administration has failed to take their community into account before deciding to house the new arrivals in their neighborhood. In total, the city is spending nearly $7 million to shelter and offer services.

John Binder is a reporter for Breitbart News. Email him at jbinder@breitbart.com. Follow him on Twitter here.