The good news is that you don’t have to worry about Sam Brinton stealing your luggage anymore. The bad news is that if Chicago is your final destination, you may have to make a run to the baggage claim to stop a homeless person from making off with your belongings. To add to the list of the Windy City’s woes, homeless people are now setting up encampments inside Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport. That way, your experience with Lori Lightfoot’s horrendous administration and the classic blue-city vibe can begin as soon as you get off the plane and even before your Uber ride shows up.
According to the Daily Mail, thousands of homeless people are not setting up shop around the airport, but inside the airline terminals. Pictures have been taken of people sleeping among the luggage. Another showed a man who had collapsed inside a terminal entrance, someone passed out with no shoes on, and around six people who were “homesteading,” so to speak, by an escalator. Yet another showed a homeless man sleeping in one of the trams that run between terminals. O’Hare’s response? “We appreciate your feedback. Safety, security and an optimal passenger experience is top priority for the CDA, and we have forwarded your message along to our security team. We apologize for any inconvenience caused and hope your next visit to ORD is more enjoyable.”
Airport employees are concerned for their safety, with one of them telling CBS Chicago, “They will come up behind you. This one man followed us last night. From the time we get here until the time we leave in the morning, they will be here.” Another said that the situation is out of control and, “They just tell us to be careful because it’s out of their hands like they can’t do anything.”
The Chicago Tribune used the term “nighttime refuge” in describing the situation. Jessica Dubuar, director of health and specialty services of Haymarket Center, said that the trend of camping at the airport is nothing new and that the number of people using public transit passes to sleep at O’Hare has been on the increase. Advocates point to the fact that shelters decreased the number of beds during the pandemic and are currently overwhelmed. And people who are new to the city may not have anywhere to stay.
The Chicago Department of Aviation issued the following statement:
The CDA is aware of the increasing population of unsheltered individuals at O’Hare International Airport. It’s a common occurrence at this airport and airports nationwide when temperatures drop in the winter months. The Department of Family and Support Services (DFSS) and their delegate agencies continue to provide 24/7 outreach to unsheltered residents at O’Hare. Outreach professionals engage with individuals experiencing homelessness at O’Hare and conduct needs assessments. If the individual chooses to accept assistance, outreach professionals connect them with appropriate services and shelters, including necessary referrals and transportation. The CDA remains committed to working with its partners at the Chicago Fire Department (CFD), the Chicago Police Department (CPD), and other governmental and community-based organizations to support those in need and connect them with available resources in Chicago.
So there are outreach programs that are willing to help if someone chooses to receive help. And there’s the rub. If a person chooses to receive help, then by all means, let us do what we can to restore them. But if that person chooses to embrace a lifestyle and eschews aid, why should others take steps to accommodate that choice? Why should someone feel unsafe at work or for showing up to catch a flight?
Because that is progressive policy. Do what you will. Someone else will pay the price.
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