Controversy Surrounds Proposed Migrant Tent Camp in Brighton Park

The State of Illinois has announced that a plan to house up to 2,000 asylum seekers at a vacant Brighton Park lot will not proceed due to environmental concerns. The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency cited insufficient soil sampling and remediation as reasons for halting the construction. The state will work with the city to identify alternate shelter options. The decision comes after an environmental report found high levels of mercury and other contaminants on the site. The state is moving forward with a brick-and-mortar shelter site in Little Village instead.