More migrant families continued to camp at police stations

CHICAGO (CBS) -- "We're in crisis" - that's the word of volunteer organizations who say they're coping with the influx of migrants to Chicago with little help from the city. Families are still spending days without resources in police stations -- and nine months after the first refugees arrived on buses from Texas, they say there's still no plan. As CBS 2's Marissa Perlman reported Thursday night, between 100 and 200 migrants from Central and South America are now arriving every week -- only to be dropped off at Chicago Precinct Offices.

Volunteers are called every morning by police districts - they are asking for help, not the city. Volunteers this week shared photos of families with small children eating dinner on the floor of the Lincoln (20th) District station, 5400 N. Lincoln Ave., using a towel and coat to sleep.

Elio Rivas and his family spent their first day in Chicago jogging north and east at the Rogers Park (20th) District station, 6464 N. Clark St. "We had nothing," Rivas said through an interpreter. "We had a very bad experience.

We stayed for three days. We were very scared." Rivas and his family had no water or food during their stay at the police station.

It had been two weeks since they had left Venezuela. Rivas' daughter, Daikerlys, finally smiled on Thursday when the family was finally given space in a shelter. With a pen and notepad, Mary Schaaf and Luisette Kraal - volunteers from Nuevos Vecinos and the Refugee Community Connection - follow migrant families at the local police station.

The families stay on average between three and ten days. Schaaf said seven people - four adults and three children - are now also at the hospital Central (1st) district station1718 S. State St.

"All we've been hoping for is a coordinated effort -- and here's proof that it's not happening," Schaaf said, "and these families are coming in droves." Schaaf said funds for volunteers are running out. Since August, they have clothed and fed 2,000 migrants from a church in Rogers Park -- on donations alone -- and without help from city officials.

They deliver food to police zones around the city day and night. Schaaf said police are trying to work with the volunteers, but they too are overwhelmed. "It takes its toll," says Schaaf. "Two of them looked at me today when I came in, and they said to me, 'This is inhumane.'"

Volunteers have been contacting the city and the respective aldermen for months with no response. Now there are more than 6,000 families in Chicago seeking asylum. "They came to Chicago because they thought it was a welcoming city, and yet we don't have a coordinated effort in the city to take care of them," Schaaf said. "Where are the aldermen in this city.

Why isn't this being addressed in our city council?" This was also a question we asked six Chicago aldermen who currently have refugees at Chicago police stations in their wards. We heard nothing back, or others told us that they were not aware of the situation.

We keep pressing them for answers.