Migrants in the Suburbs

The Great Collide

More than 35,000 migrants have been sent to Chicago since 2022, mostly from Texas. Many Chicagoans have complained about the burden on the city, but migrants have also been arriving in suburban communities and churches are stepping up to meet their needs.

Fr. John Rumple, pastor of Grace Episcopal Church in Oak Park, shares his church's experience after they opened an Emergency Asylum Shelter in November.

After this episode was recorded last week, Fr. Rumple offered the following update: "A wonderful thing has happened for all the men of this shelter. Apoya, a Faith-based Oak Park group of people concerned about the guys has banded together and found apartments for all of the guys - and the funds to pay for their rent for a full year. It's a miracle for them and us. I just wanted you to know that this happened - we had little hope, but then the community here came through in a powerful way."

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The Great Collide is a production of the Greater Chicago Broadcast Ministries, a communications ministry of the Protestant, Orthodox, and Episcopal Churches of greater Chicago in cooperation with the Council of Religious Leaders of Metropolitan Chicago.