Records reveal the Chicago Police Department was called to a shelter housing illegal immigrants over 250 times in a year, prompting community concerns and calls for its closure.
By yourNEWS Media Staff
The Chicago Police Department has been dispatched to the Inn of Chicago, currently operating as a shelter for illegal immigrants, hundreds of times between January 2023 and February 2024 for various incidents, including several violent crimes. This information, revealed through documents obtained via a Freedom of Information Act request by resident Terry Newsome and reviewed by The Epoch Times, highlights the challenges and concerns surrounding the shelter’s operation in the city’s Streeterville neighborhood.
The police calls ranged from parking and traffic violations to serious allegations of aggravated assault, domestic battery, child abduction, and even sexual assault. Notably, one report involved a 4-year-old being “inappropriately touched” by an individual at the shelter, while another incident saw three children taken to Lurie Children’s Hospital following allegations of domestic battery and prior sexual assault.
The frequency of these incidents has alarmed local residents and led Ward 42 Alderman Brendan Reilly to demand the closure of the facility. In an email to his constituents, Reilly expressed frustration over the “host of criminal activities” observed at the site, including drug sales, retail theft, and potential sex trafficking. He also raised concerns about the health and safety conditions at the shelter, describing them as “deplorable” and unsafe for the migrant families residing there alongside single, young adult males.
Reilly’s concerns are echoed by Newsome, who pointed out the shelter’s close proximity to North Michigan Avenue, a major commercial district known as the Magnificent Mile. Newsome criticized the hidden costs associated with the frequent emergency responses to the shelter, noting the financial burden placed on taxpayers for police, ambulance services, and hospital care.
Despite its contract with the city expiring on December 31, the Inn of Chicago remains closed to the general public and is scheduled to stay “temporarily closed” until July 2024, as stated on the hotel’s website. However, attempts to contact the hotel for comments have been unsuccessful.
The City of Chicago has welcomed over 37,000 illegal immigrants since August 2022, incurring nearly $300 million in accommodation expenses. Mayor Brandon Johnson, addressing overpopulation concerns at temporary shelters, introduced a 60-day maximum stay policy for illegal immigrants last month, a measure delayed from its original January start date due to adverse weather conditions.
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