>> AS WE JUST HEARD , FROM THE MOMENT THE FIRST BUS OF MIGRANTS ARRIVED ONE YEAR AGO , THE ONGOING WORK OF SUPPORTING THEM HAS BEEN DONE BY VOLUNTEERS.

COMMUNITY ORGANIZERS HAVE SWUNG INTO ACTION AND PROVIDED FOOD, SHELTER , HEALTHCARE, AND LEGAL AID FOR THE NEW ARRIVALS WHILE COORDINATING WITH LOCAL OFFICIALS.

WE HAVE AN IMMIGRATION ATTORNEY AND LEGAL AID VOLUNTEER , A VOLUNTEER , AND A PASTOR FROM GRACE AND PEACE COMMUNITY CHURCH ON THE WEST SIDE, AND A MUTUAL AID MEMBER.

THANK YOU ALL FOR JOINING US.

YOU WERE CHIEF OF STAFF IN THE 20th DISTRICT STATE SENATOR'S OFFICE WHEN THE FIRST BUS ARRIVED.

HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE THIS YEAR?

>> IT HAS BEEN A WHIRLWIND.

I REMEMBER THE INITIAL DAYS WITH COMMUNITY MEMBERS STARTING TO COME TO OUR OFFICE.

SEEKING HELP, TRYING TO LOCATE WHERE THE SCHOOL WAS, UNDERSTANDING SYSTEMS.

THAT WAS THE EYE-OPENER ABOUT THE COMMUNITY OF CARE WHICH IS NEEDED AROUND OUR ASYLUM-SEEKERS .

TRYING TO GET BASIC RESOURCES THEY DESERVE.

THE ABILITY TO EAT , HAVE A PLACE TO CALL HOME , QUALITY HEALTHCARE , AND COMMUNICATION THAT MAKES THAT POSSIBLE.

>> PASTOR, YOUR CHURCH WAS ONE OF THE FIRST TO OPEN THEIR DOORS TO HELP HUNDREDS OF ASYLUM-SEEKERS.

TAKE ME THROUGH THAT .

LET ME KNOW WHAT HAS IT BEEN LIKE UNDER THE PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATION TO WHAT IT HAS BEEN LIKE NOW?

>> WE ARE STILL IN TRAUMA.

PEOPLE COMING IN .

IT FEELS LIKE IT IS STILL TRIAGE.

ONE AFTER THE OTHER.

THERE IS NO TIME TO BREATHE.

I WOULD SAY IT IS DIFFICULT FOR ANY ADMINISTRATION TO DEAL WITH THIS, TRY TO FIND TIME TO FOCUS.

I THINK THAT WITH MAYOR LIGHTFOOT, WE WERE DEALING WITH BUSES, IT WAS A BAND-AID.

WITH MAYOR JOHNSON , HE IS TAKING IT A STEP FURTHER AND TRY TO HELP PEOPLE WITH HOUSING AND THOSE TYPES OF THINGS.

I'VE BEEN UNDER THE IMPRESSION WE ARE IN THE TRAUMA STAGE AND WE HAVE NOT MOVED THE NEEDLE MUCH.

>> TRIED TO BUILD A STRUCTURE ?

>> I BELIEVE SO.

FROM THE BOOTS ON THE GROUND, WE RECEIVED FOLKS AT THE END AND TRY TO ESTABLISH THEM.

ESTABLISH THEM IN SOME KIND OF WAY SO THEY CAN FOCUS ON THE FUTURE.

WE HAVE WORKED WITH THAT.

WE ARE GIVING THEM A FUTURE.

>> YOU ARE VOLUNTEERING AND ARE OFFERING LEGAL AID.

WHAT IS THE BIGGEST ONGOING LEGAL NEED FOR ASYLUM-SEEKERS?

>> THE BIGGEST PROBLEM IS LEGAL TRIAGE.

THEY NEED THE ABILITY TO BE ABLE TO DO BASIC THINGS IN THEIR LEGAL CASE AND UNDERSTAND THEIR LEGAL CASE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THEIR ASYLUM CASE.

>> I HAVE ANOTHER QUESTION .

WHEN I INTERVIEWED SOME OF THE ASYLUM-SEEKERS AT THE POLICE STATION , THEY HAD ANKLE MONITORS.

ARE YOU NOTICING THAT ?

>> THAT IS A PROGRAM , A PILOT PROGRAM COME FROM DHHS, FAMILY EXPEDITED REMOVAL, IT IS A SPECIAL TYPE OF MONITORING FOR FAMILIES IF THEY DO NOT COMPLY WITH MONITORING OR HAVE A NEGATIVE INTERVIEW , THEY WILL HAVE EXPEDITED REMOVAL.

>> WHAT IS IT LIKE WHEN YOU STARTED SEEING THAT ?

>> IT IS NEW, I STARTED TO SEE IT NOW , THE FIRST CASES IN THE LAST COUPLE OF MONTHS.

CHICAGO IS A TEST PILOT CITY FOR THAT.

I THINK IT HAS YET TO BE SEEN.

I HAVE NOT SEEN AN EXPEDITED REMOVAL HAPPENED JUST YET.

>> YOU HAVE BEEN VOLUNTEERING , WHAT IS IT BEEN LIKE FOR YOU?

>> I COME FROM A FAMILY OF IMMIGRANTS.

WHAT I SEE A LOT , STORIES MY PARENTS TOLD, WHEN THEY TOLD ME THEY CAME HERE AND HAD NOTHING OR NOBODY TO HELP THEM , I WANTED TO BE THAT PERSON WITH MUTUAL AID ORGANIZERS WERE WORKING AROUND THE CLOCK TO MAKE SURE THESE PEOPLE HAVE BASIC NEEDS.

I SEE MY PARENTS.

I WANT TO BE THOSE PEOPLE WE DIDN'T HAVE WHEN WE FIRST CAME HERE.

ALSO, JUST BECAUSE PEOPLE DESERVE TO HAVE ACCESS TO BASIC HOUSING, HEALTHCARE, FOOD , WE ARE TALKING ABOUT BASIC COMMUNITY.

>> WHAT WOULD YOU TELL SOMEBODY VOLUNTEERING?

>> THIS REQUIRES A HUGE COORDINATED EFFORT.

WONDERFUL LEADERS , THEY HAVE REALLY LED THE CHARGE.

ANYTHING HELPS.

YOU DON'T HAVE TO SOLVE THE WHOLE PROBLEM.

EVEN IF YOU VOLUNTEER ONCE A MONTH.

PROVIDE MEALS , THAT WOULD GO A LONG WAY.

>> THERE IS STILL A MASSIVE NEED?

>> ABSOLUTELY .

>> WHEN I GO TO YOUR CHURCH AND OTHER ORGANIZATIONS , THERE ARE PILES AND PILES OF STUFF.

>> THE NEED IS THERE, CENTRAL FOOD, HOUSING, IF A GROUP CAN HANDLE THE ESSENTIAL NEEDS, OTHER GROUPS CAN DO LEGAL, OTHER GROUPS CAN DO OTHER ASPECTS OF THIS WORK, THE KEY IS WORKING TOGETHER.

THERE IS NO COMPETITION FOR THIS.

WE ARE IN THIS FOR THE RIGHT REASONS.

TO SERVE THAT PARTICULAR FAMILY, PICK UP ONE FAMILY.

JUST TAKE ONE.

WALK THEM THROUGH.

MY UNCLE HELPED MY FATHER .

THAT IS HOW WE GOT STARTED.

>> WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS?

>>> IT MEANS FIGHTING FOR RESOURCES AND MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE RESPONDING TO WHAT'S NEEDED.

THAT IS WITH DIGNITY AND HUMANITY, THAT WE ARE ASKING, REQUESTING AND RECEIVING THE FEDERAL RESOURCES THAT ALLOW US TO RESPOND TO WHAT'S OCCURRING IN OUR CITY AT THE MOMENT.

THE WORKERS DICHOTOMY THAT OUR FAMILIES DESERVE.

THEY COME HERE WITH A VISION AND A DREAM.

THE SHELTER IS NOT IT .

THEY CAME HERE SEEKING AND AMERICAN DREAM THE WAY MY FAMILY AND SO MUCH OTHERS HAVE WHICH REQUIRES A CALLING BIGGER THAN THE RESPONSE HAPPENING NOW.

THE RESEARCH IS NOT YET COMING FOR A VARIETY OF REASONS, NOT YET BRINGING THEM TO THE CITY.

>> WHAT CAN HELP MIGRANTS WITH THE LEGAL AID?

>> I WILL PREFACE THIS ANSWER WITH I'M A CAREER NONPROFIT ATTORNEY.

I UNDERSTAND THERE IS A SHORTAGE OF IMMIGRATION ATTORNEYS, AND MUCH MORE A SHORTAGE OF NONPROFIT IMMIGRATION ATTORNEYS.

FUNDING IS ALWAYS AN ISSUE, HOWEVER, THERE ARE LEGAL NEEDS THAT COULD BE MET THAT ARE SHORT AND QUICK TO DO, THAT REQUIRE INFORMATION TO PEOPLE AND THAT ALSO REQUIRE SMALLER THINGS TO BE ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH TO SCALE UP AND GIVE THIS TO OTHER PEOPLE.

IT REQUIRES COLLABORATION FROM CITY PARTNERS AND COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS TO ACCOMPLISH THAT.

>> YOU HAVE BEEN DOING THE WORK FOR THIS YEAR AND WE ONLY HAVE TIME FROM ONE MORE QUESTION.

WE COULD TALK ABOUT THIS FOR HOURS.

PASTOR, WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE NOW ?

>> YOU WANT TO RELIEVE THE STRESS.

GIVE THEM OPPORTUNITY TO WORK.

I KAREN TU IF YOU ANNOUNCE THAT AND THEY COULD WORK, THE CITY WOULD RELIEVE THE STRESS OVER EVERYTHING ELSE WE HAVE .

GIVE US WORK PERMITS,