Chicago officials deny cleanup of homeless encampment containing migrants related to upcoming DNC

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Chicago's Brandon Johnson touts city being 'open' and 'accommodating' to illegal immigrants

Democratic Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson made the case that his city has been "open and quite accommodating" to illegal immigrants in comparison to other blue cities. 

Chicago’s city council denied that the cleanup of homeless encampments containing migrants has anything to do with the upcoming Democratic National Convention (DNC).

A large homeless encampment was cleared on July 17, the Chicago Tribune reported.

The paper reported further that Maura McCauley, managing deputy commissioner of the Chicago Department of Family and Support Services, said that the effort was "fast-tracked in time for the Democratic National Convention in late August."

"She said there were worries that security officials with the convention could suddenly ask that the tent city be evacuated," the Tribune reported.

CHICAGO ALDERMAN SOUNDS ALARM ON MIGRANT SURGE AHEAD OF DNC: 'WE CAN'T HANDLE ANY MORE'

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson gives an update on migrant issues at City Hall on Jan. 29, 2024, in Chicago. (Terrence Antonio James/Chicago Tribune/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)

However, a spokesman for the department, Brian Berg, reportedly later said that the effort had nothing to do with the convention.

Furthermore, Mayor Brandon Johnson has also reportedly denied that the encampment initiative was prompted by the upcoming DNC.

The mayor's comments come as city officials brace for a potential surge in migrants after Texas Gov. Greg Abbott vowed at the Republican National Convention to continue bussing migrants from the southern border to sanctuary cities.

"The city has received close to 46,000 migrants on buses in about two years, sent by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott in an attempt to challenge liberal cities’ welcoming messages," the Tribune reported.

While more migrants were on their way to the Windy City, city officials reportedly had to convene to discuss how to handle the influx.

According to the Tribune, the encampment clearing was part of Chicago’s "encampment initiative" to clean up "eight tent cities across Chicago."

CHICAGO WATCHDOG AGENCY WARNS POLICE UNPREPARED FOR PROTESTS AHEAD OF DEMOCRATIC NATIONAL CONVENTION

Migrants who crossed the Rio Grande and entered the U.S. from Mexico are lined up for processing by U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Saturday, Sept. 23, 2023, in Eagle Pass, Texas. A federal judge in Texas on Friday, March 8, 2024, upheld a key piece of President Joe Biden’s immigration policy that allows a limited number of migrants from four countries to enter the U.S. on humanitarian grounds, dismissing a challenge from Republican-led states that said the program created an economic burden on them. (AP Photo/Eric Gay, File)

Empty spaces located by a police station in Chicago were packed with encampments containing migrants. 

One of the migrants who witnessed the encampment cleanup spoke with the Tribune about the initiative.

Jordan Parra told the paper that "he didn’t walk across seven countries to be kicked out of his tent in a park in Chicago." Parra chose not to stay in shelters for safety reasons and was living in one of the encampments.

Johnson's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital.

Jose Antonio Hernandez, a Venezuelan migrant and barber, cuts the hair of fellow migrant Francisco Ramos at an encampment outside the 2nd District Chicago police station on Oct. 17, 2023. ((Antonio Perez/Chicago Tribune/Tribune News Service via Getty Images))

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The Democratic National Convention starts on Aug. 19 at the United Center and will run through Aug. 22.

In April, the city approved $70 million to support illegal immigrants in the city. A move that Johnson said was preparation for Abbott's transfer of migrants to the Windy City.