Chicago is seeing escalating tensions between its long-standing Black community and the inflow of migrants. There have been reports of clashes between migrants and local inhabitants for access to resources such as housing and social services.
Some migrants have voiced dissatisfaction with the lack of accessible services and the lengthy wait times for aid. At the same time, some locals have expressed worry that the surge of migrants is putting pressure on already scarce resources.
A video clip released on Instagram purports to show an exchange between a migrant and a black woman. A migrant allegedly refers to a Black Chicagoan as “lazy” and says, “No more money for you.”
Texas Governor Greg Abbott has transported tens of thousands of migrants, principally from Venezuela, Nicaragua, and Cuba, from the southern border to Chicago by bus or plane since August 2022. Chicago is giving migrants shelter, food, and medical attention.
Meanwhile, Black Chicagoans are homeless and in need of resources. The Black community in Chicago, like many others around the country, bears the wounds of past discrimination. Decades of redlining, disinvestment, and inadequate social services have caused deep wounds.
Black Chicagoans continue to argue that their communities require significant investment in education, healthcare, and other resources. They claim that the city’s resources from taxpaying citizens should be used first to solve citizen concerns before being granted to migrants.
A referendum that would have questioned voters whether Chicago should maintain its sanctuary city status was stopped by Mayor Brandon Johnson’s friends on the city council, preventing it from going before voters.