UCRP will act as a respite center for migrants

UCRP is currently planning to turn Overdier Hall into a respite center for migrants in partnership with the Alderwoman’s office and several other community nonprofits.

Chicago has already been pushed to the max trying to find shelter for the waves of migrants who have arrived in recent weeks. Some families have had to sleep on police station floors as officials try to quickly create more temporary shelters.

Even more migrants are expected to come to the United States in the weeks ahead, with Texas Gov. Greg Abbott writing in a letter to Chicago’s Mayor Lightfoot this week saying his state expects to see up to 13,000 migrants per day. He has said he will resume bussing migrants to Chicago and other cities [from Block Club May 3, 2023 article “Here’s How To Help The Latest Wave Of Migrants Coming To
Chicago”].

Searching for temporary housing has been difficult for the city of Chicago while receiving thousands of immigrants as a political stunt from Texas and Florida’s governors. These governors are attacking “Sanctuary Cities” like Chicago by busing or flying immigrants who have crossed into United States seeking asylum.

A better term than Sanctuary  City might be local control or safe city. A sanctuary city has limited the extent to which it will volunteer resources in support of federal immigration enforcement agents’ responsibility to enforce federal immigration law. These limits can take many forms: saying no to federal requests [known as “detainers”] to conduct joint patrols, refusing to jail an individual who has posted bond and a judge has said can be released, or refusing to gather more information—such as immigration status—than is needed to determine if an individual is eligible to receive services.

Texas and Florida governors are pushing their issues onto these Sanctuary Cities - not the states. As to Texas and Florida receiving federal funds:
Texas receives $2,354,555 from the federal government.
That’s 20.49% federal fund percentage of Texas’ revenues making $0.83 return on their tax dollar;
and Florida receives $1,371,468 from the federal government.
That’s 20.00% federal fund percentage of Florida revenues making $0.77 return on their tax dollar;
All while Illinois gets $1,024,019 from the federal government.
That works out lower of both states with 18.08% federal fund percentage of Illinois revenues making $0.60 return on their tax
dollar.
Plus, Texas does have extra help [outside its federal funds listed above] along its boarder from the federal government. Illinois gets the bused people with no additional financial help from the feds.

The city is currently short of housing space and has put these bused immigrants in its police station lobbies. UCRP’s third floor Overdier Hall will be in use 24/7 for at least three weeks as a respite center and will be staffed by volunteers through the Alderwoman’s office.

If you have any question or you would like to volunteer, please let us know. We will also keep the congregation updated on any other ways to help [donations, other kinds of volunteering, etc.]. Providing a place for beloved strangers who need food, rest and water is a foundational tenet of our faith.

Please pray for those arriving in Chicago over the coming weeks.

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