The frequent violent disturbances at the Inn of Chicago have raised concerns among residents.
According to records obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request, Chicago police were called to the illegal immigrant shelter multiple times over the last year. These calls were often related to investigations of violent crimes.
Between January 2023 and February 2024, police were dispatched to the Inn of Chicago, which now serves as a shelter for illegal immigrants, more than 250 times. While some calls were for minor issues like parking violations, a significant number were for serious crimes such as aggravated assault, domestic battery, child abduction, and child abuse, including sexual assault.
One disturbing case involved a 4-year-old victim reporting multiple instances of being “inappropriately touched” by an unknown offender living in the shelter. Another case, heavily redacted, included three child victims who were taken to the hospital for alleged domestic battery and prior sexual assault.
The rise in criminal activity at the Inn of Chicago has not gone unnoticed by residents in the Streeterville neighborhood. Numerous complaints have prompted Alderman Brendan Reilly to call for the shelter’s closure.
Residents have reported witnessing various criminal activities at the site, including narcotics sales, retail theft, and potential sex trafficking. The accumulation of trash and human waste in the surrounding alleys has also added to the concerns.
Mr. Reilly expressed worries about the safety of both the migrant families living in the shelter and the local residents and tourists visiting the area. He emphasized the failure of housing so many migrants in one location and highlighted the unsafe conditions at the Inn of Chicago.
Concerns about the hotel’s proximity to the bustling commercial district along North Michigan Avenue were also raised, with residents pointing out the potential risks to visitors and the added costs incurred by emergency responses to incidents at the shelter.
The contract allowing the Inn of Chicago to house illegal immigrants was set to expire on Dec. 31, but the hotel remains closed to patrons. The city of Chicago has accommodated over 37,000 illegal immigrants since August 2022, costing nearly $300 million.
Mayor Brandon Johnson implemented a 60-day maximum stay policy for illegal immigrants in temporary shelters last month due to overcrowding concerns. The policy, initially scheduled for January, was delayed due to inclement weather.
Efforts to reach out to the Chicago Police Department and the mayor’s office for comment on the situation at the Inn of Chicago have been made.
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