As an Evanston resident raising a family in the Fifth Ward – and someone whose own parents brought me to the Chicago area more than 30 years ago as refugees when I was just a child – I strongly support Evanston creating a temporary shelter for new arrivals.
The challenge we’re facing right now was not created by our community. Decades of failures by the federal government to build a fairer, humane, functional immigration system led to this moment, along with a cynical plan over the past few years by the governor of Texas to bus people into places where there aren’t the services that they need. We’ve seen nearly 40,000 new arrivals sent to Chicago just the past couple of years, and the City of Chicago has reached out to Evanston and other suburban communities for support.
We know that our area is resilient enough to absorb and support these new arrivals. During those same two years, we saw about 30,000 Ukrainians come to the Chicago area fleeing war in their homeland. We don’t hear much about that, because there has been a much more functional resettlement program in place for them. But there isn’t one for those who’ve traveled hundreds or thousands of miles with their possessions on their backs across the southern border, seeking safety and freedom.
We may not have been responsible for this crisis, but Evanston has the opportunity to help. Right now, the city can apply to receive a Cook County grant to fund temporary housing for people to have a roof over their heads immediately when they arrive.
Migrants arriving now are coming without the support network that refugees have historically had. We need facilities that can house them, offer wraparound services, the ability to help apply for work permits, the ability to access health care benefits, find long term housing and find access to the other supports they need. These short term shelters can be the difference between whether or not a new arrival can get on a path to succeed in becoming a part of their new community.
Make no mistake, Evanston has a whole host of other challenges facing residents: from a shocking lack of affordable housing, to needing more equitable transportation options and investments in great public schools – and more. We can and must address those urgent and acute issues, together, as a community.
But we must also act now to help human beings impacted by this migrant crisis. We can live up to our values, and use our resourcefulness and creativity, to do our part in welcoming new arrivals with dignity. Let’s take the first step, apply for Cook County funding and lend a hand.
Ilya Sheyman
Why doesn’t anyone understand this policy, this thinking is economically unsustainable. There is a country called Haiti, there is a country called Ukraine, just to mention a couple shall we start sending planes to those countries to bring those ppl back and provide shelter for them as well. Haiti is a lawless state Ukraine is being torn apart each day.. A person wants to take their shot at the American dream fine go for it but it shouldn’t be at the expense of tax payers dollars. It should not be at the expense of placing migrants concerns /needs over the priority of economically challenged Americans.
I hope we all do not rush to judge what individuals and families have fled their countries to seek refuge in America. We don’t know their personal circumstances, whether it be fear of gangs, false imprisonment, rape, murder or starvation. Do they not unlike the Ukraine people deserve some kind of help. Of course there are scammers, we see them every day as American citizens. But mostly these are people looking for some hope. I am blessed enough to not be in their shoes, but I can surely offer them some and other help. Can’t we all and some kindness too?
Well, of course the situation for Ukrainian refugees here is much different and less controversial: these people have fled a real war being waged against their entire nation by Vladimir Putin’s Russia.
If I were “king of media” I’d ban the use of the euphemisms “migrants” and “new arrivals” for the controversial group of foreigners coming here now, who have entered the USA nearly all illegally.