March 16 (UPI) — Officials in Chicago will begin evicting migrants staying in the city’s shelters this weekend, following through on Mayor Brandon Johnson’s amended policy under which only adults will be removed.
Johnson’s office amended the policy Friday to cover only adult migrants without children under the age of 18.
Children and families were also granted a reprieve.
Evictions will also begin Sunday, rather than Saturday as originally scheduled and apply to adults who have been living in a city shelter for 60 days.
Extensions to the policy will be determined on an individual basis, the city said.
A total of 35 migrants are expected to be evicted from 23 Chicago shelters on Sunday. That number will grow to more than 2,000 by the end of April. More than 1,700 of those people are men.
The city originally forecasted 6,000 people would be forced to leave Saturday.
Once evicted, migrants are able to re-apply for admission to city shelters. The city has a re-entry “landing zone” set up near the famed Maxwell Street Market.
Anyone looking to enter a shelter also must now be vaccinated for measles, mumps, rubella and chickenpox.
Chicago shelters have seen a recent uptick in measle cases, the city’s public health department said earlier in the week.
Johnson’s office said the policy is meant to encourage migrants to become independent.
“By encouraging resettlement while also providing case-specific extensions with a focus on health and safety, we are advancing a pathway to stability and self-sufficiency,” Johnson’s office said in a statement.
“While we know Chicago’s limited resources cannot meet the full scale of need across the New Arrivals Mission. We are constantly evaluating options that will lead to better care for all Chicagoans.”
