The Great Chicago Newcomer Influx of 2023: A Statistical Safari with Surprise Side Effects
Ah, Chicago. City of wind, deep dish pizza, and... a whole lotta new faces in 2023! Buckle up, folks, because we're diving headfirst into the fascinating world of Windy City newcomer statistics.
So, How Many Newcomers Are We Talking About?
Hold onto your hats, because this number is a doozy. News outlets were throwing around figures like confetti at a New Year's Eve bash. We're talking over 39,000 new arrivals seeking asylum, according to the City of Chicago [Dashboard - City of Chicago]. That's enough people to fill Wrigley Field... twice! Although, with the way things are going with the Cubs, maybe they'd bring some better luck.
Where Did They All Come From?
Think of Chicago as a giant immigration magnet in 2023. Buses rolled in from the southern border, some folks even flew in (fancy!). The trusty New Arrivals Situational Awareness Dashboard (yes, that's a real thing) says there were 899 buses and over 4,761 plane passengers. Seems like some people upgraded their travel plans!
The Great Shelter Shuffle: Finding a Place to Crash
Now, Chicago doesn't have a spare room for everyone (although let's be honest, who does these days?), so finding shelter for this many folks was a logistical Rubik's Cube. Over 14,700 migrants found themselves chilling in shelters across the city [Chicago Paid At Least $138M to Care for Migrants in 2023, Far Less Than Projections: Data | Chicago News | WTTW]. Let's just say there were some interesting conversations happening over breakfast.
But wait, there's more! For a while, some folks even had to crash at police stations and airports! Imagine explaining to the officer on duty why you need to borrow a toothbrush. "Uh, yeah, long flight, you know?"
The Plot Thickens: The Great Chicago Newcomer Impact
Now, all these newcomers sure did shake things up a bit. The city spent a cool $138 million on care for the migrants [Chicago Paid At Least $138M to Care for Migrants in 2023, Far Less Than Projections: Data | Chicago News | WTTW]. That's a lot of lattes, folks. But hey, on the bright side, maybe they brought some killer new recipes with them.
Overall, the Chicago Newcomer Influx of 2023 was a wild ride. It tested the city's resources, sure, but it also brought a whole lot of new energy and perspectives. Who knows, maybe these newcomers will be the ones teaching us Chicagoans how to do the salsa in a few years!
