2014-2022: Since 2014’s economic collapse, millions of Venezuelans left the country. Most went to Colombia. Tens of thousands have come to Chicago. Read Chip Mitchell’s 2024 story.2022: The number of Venezuelans in Chicago surged when Texas began busing migrants to the city in 2022. That August, a bus chartered by the state of Texas arrived in Chicago with 79 migrants, most from Venezuela. Texas also bused migrants to other cities.2023: Thousands of migrants had arrived in Chicago. The city tried to house immigrants in shelters, but didn’t have enough space. By August 2023, more than 1,000 immigrants were staying at police stations, where they slept and ate meals on the floors. There were reports of expired food being served and lice and bed bug infestations. Hundreds more camped out at O’Hare International Airport, where many reported overcrowded, unsanitary and unhealthy conditions. The migrants lacked work permits and struggled to get jobs and housing in the U.S. Chicago had tens of thousands of new immigrants, most from Venezuela. They also often struggled to find legal help in proceeding through the process of applying for asylum.2024: Chicagoans born in Venezuela grew from an estimated 7,175 in 2023 to 19,409 in 2024 — a roughly 170% increase, according to annual U.S. Census data updates. By March 2024, shelters housed 12,000 people. That month, the city began enforcing a 60-day stay policy and started evicting migrants.2025: When President Donald Trump took office for the second time in 2025, federal agents ramped-up arrests and deportations of many immigrants. A high-profile Sept. 30…
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