In early September, Mayor Brandon Johnson’s administration reached out to Catholic Charities Archdiocese of San Antonio Inc. to tell the nonprofit that Chicago’s resources were strained.
The message was clear: Chicago couldn’t properly shelter more migrants seeking asylum in the U.S. The Sun-Times’ Michael Loria reported the call last month —and also that the nonprofit kept sending migrants even though Chicago was at capacity.
Many migrants who traveled through San Antonio said they ended up here on the recommendation of Catholic Charities in that city, Loria wrote.
Cristina Pacione-Zayas, first deputy chief of staff for the mayor, called the actions “reckless.” We agree, especially as colder weather approaches and many migrants remain in tents outside police stations.
There’s no doubt San Antonio has its own migrant crisis. While Chicago in the last 14 months has taken in some 21,000 migrants who initially sought asylum at the southern border, Catholic Charities in San Antonio has seen 10 times that number, the nonprofit’s CEO, Antonio Fernandez, told the Sun-Times. Fernandez also said the San Antonio group was encouraging migrants to pick a different place if they didn’t have sponsors in Chicago.
We wonder if Catholic Charities in San Antonio needs another reminder: Chicago has exceeded capacity. That message must be repeated to migrants considering our city.
Meanwhile, Catholic Charities of San Antonio isn’t giving any notice to Catholic Charities in Chicago when it sends migrants here, as the Chicago Tribune reports.
The two are separate organizations, but their missions are the same: to help vulnerable people. Catholic Charities in Chicago has been on the front lines of our city’s migrant emergency, just like Catholic Charities in San Antonio. Fernandez, the CEO in San Antonio, used to be senior vice president of operations for Catholic Charities in Chicago.
How about a phone call?
Why not give Chicago a heads-up? It’s a simple professional courtesy. Fernandez, who has lived through Chicago winters himself, must know that migrants here are living outdoors in tents as temperatures dip below freezing. The average high temperature is 37 degrees in December and 32 degrees in January. Average lows are in the 20s, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Soon enough, we could have a frigid cold spell and temperatures will fall to single digits or zero — or below.
Some migrants, citing wintry conditions, already have decided to head back south. So what’s the point of using taxpayer money to send people here as winter approaches? Catholic Charities in San Antonio has received $48 million through the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Emergency Food and Shelter Program since December. Chicago has received about $7 million.
Catholic Charities in both cities operate under the banner of each city’s archdiocese. To that end, it might be time for Chicago’s Cardinal, Blase Cupich, to personally contact the Archdiocese of San Antonio to request communication between their charitable organizations.
In a statement released Monday, the Archdiocese of Chicago said: “Neither Catholic Charities of San Antonio nor Catholic Charities of Chicago recommends destinations for migrants. Migrants choose their destination city at their court hearing. Catholic Charities of San Antonio then helps migrants reach their chosen destination. Catholic Charities of Chicago does its best to receive migrants and provide help and direction to available resources.”
Catholic Charities of San Antonio said in a statement: “Catholic Charities does not direct or suggest travel to any specific location, and migrants have been advised at times not to travel to certain areas due to a possible lack of services. However, Catholic Charities cannot prevent migrants from traveling to their preferred locale.”
But parts of those statements are hard to square with migrants who have told the Sun-Times they chose Chicago based on a recommendation by Catholic Charities of San Antonio.
San Antonio is among the first stops for many migrants. Its local Catholic Charities operates the Migrant Resource Center.
When migrants insist that Chicago is their choice, at least give city officials or Catholic Charities in Chicago some notice. A phone call will do.
Send letters to letters@suntimes.com
