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In a recent shocking development, Chicago’s 42nd Ward Alderman Brendan Reilly has expressed escalating alarm over deplorable conditions in shelters earmarked for illegal border crossers. In a strongly worded letter to progressive Mayor Brandon Johnson, Reilly catalogs an array of burgeoning hazards and disturbing trends; this includes overt drug use, rampant prostitution, mounting accumulation of human waste and other serious infractions.

The crux of Reilly’s contention zeroes in on the shelter operating within the premises of the Inn of Chicago; a hotel with a history of controversy, located at 162 E. Ontario. It was named a haven for illegal immigrants under the tenure of former Mayor Lori Lightfoot, to bear the costs of which City Hall was left holding the bag.

In his letter dated June 29, Reilly writes, “I am writing to share the concerns my office receives daily regarding new arrivals living at the Inn of Chicago (IOC) located at 162 East Ohio Street.” Reilly’s ward, expansive and commercially significant, comprises major sections of Chicago’s downtown, including prime locations such as the Loop, the Gold Coast, River North, New Eastside, as well as the city’s principal commercial and tourist zones.

Alarmingly, feedback from constituents and local business owners reveal unsettling conditions inside the hotel, causing a ripple effect that is beginning to distress the surrounding areas. Included within the litany of grievances cited by Reilly are loitering, littering, unauthorized vehicle parking, unchecked distribution of narcotics and human waste defiling the sidewalks abutting the hotel.

Furthermore, Reilly warned Mayor Johnson that not only are migrants engaged in illegal activities such as peddling drugs and suspected prostitution, but this unchecked chaos has already spiraled into a vicious street brawl between a large group of these illegal residents, requiring a swift intervention by local law enforcement agencies.

In his letter, Reilly has urged for the urgent intervention of city organizations such as the Chicago Police Department, Family Services, Streets and Sanitation to conduct a thorough assessment of the situation and conceive potential solutions. In his appeal, Reilly concludes, “I am sympathetic to the new arrivals’ situation and support Chicago being a Welcoming City; however, these are serious concerns that need to be addressed immediately.”

Although originally created by former mayor Lightfoot, the incumbent Mayor Johnson seems to tread the same path, ignoring vehement public protests. Despite receiving substantial backlash, Johnson proceeded to designate additional locations in Chicago as refuge for illegal aliens, even accommodating more than 300 border crossers at Wilbur Wright College around the end of May and the city’s Richard J. Daley College last month.

There are several unresolved issues looming over these shelters, including a serious accusation of sexual molestation against officers at a Chicago Police station shelter concerning a teenage girl, thereby necessitating their expeditious removal from the premise.

Concluding, the complexities of this situation on local and administrative levels are reaching a critical densification point. The ramifications of Mayor Johnson’s progressive approach towards illegal immigrants need to be balanced with concerns of public safety and interest. The wisdom of continuing the policies set in motion by past administrations should be revisited, with transparency and the welfare of all Chicago’s citizens kept at the highest priority. Chicago’s dedication to welcoming new arrivals should never come at the expense of its own inhabitants.