Illinois halts construction of Chicago winter migrant camp while it reviews soil testing at site

By JOHN O’CONNOR
AP Political Writer

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) — Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s administration has halted construction of a temporary winter camp for migrants in Chicago while the state reviews the removal of soil contaminants at the former industrial site. The review comes with hundreds of migrants bused to the state from Texas over the past year still living inside of or in front of city police stations or at Chicago’s busiest airport. The city released a study Friday from Chicago consultant Terracon that detailed the discovery and removal of sections of soil from the site in the Brighton Park neighborhood that contained higher-than-expected levels of mercury. Pritzker spokesperson Jordan Abudayyeh said Monday that the state Environmental Protection Agency will review the testing and that it shouldn’t take long.