Sox legend on Venezuelan migrants in Chicago: ‘A few ruined it for the good ones’
CHICAGO — A Venezuelan-American baseball legend whose longest tenure was with the Chicago White Sox took to social media on Wednesday to share his thoughts about ‘negative’ news surrounding city migrants.
Ozzie Guillén, who spent his first 13 years in the league with the White Sox, said he was disappointed about the negative publicity but called on the community to hold themselves and others accountable.
“So disappoint (sic) seeing the negative news about Venezuelans in Chicago. A few ruined it for the good ones. As a community, we have to be better and call out the bad, the criminals and the peole (sic) up to no good,” the 60-year-old former shortstop wrote on X, formerly Twitter.
Thousands of asylum-seeking migrants have arrived in Chicago since August 2022 as part of politically driven efforts launched by Texas Governor Greg Abbott to reduce the influx of people illegally entering the US. Chicago was among many big cities with Democratic-led leadership that welcomed arriving immigrants.
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Still, concerns have risen in recent months due to issues with temporary migrant housing, aborted plans for additional city sites, a now-contained measles outbreak, unexpected arrivals, and crime. These issues come amid discussions on whether Chicago will remain a Welcoming City. Chicago obtained Sanctuary City status in 1985 following an executive order issued by former city mayor Harold Washington.
On Wednesday, Illinois Governor JB Pritzker’s administration announced additional state-supported shelters for new arrivals in tandem with the state’s Department of Human Services.
Two new shelters, currently in development in Hyde Park and the Southwest Side near Midway Airport, will operate as part of the city’s shelter system and prioritize families transitioning to independent living.
IDHS also opened a state-supported shelter at a former CVS in Little Village in early January.
New migrant shelter opens on Northwest Side amidst rising eviction problems
Last week, Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson and immigration reform advocates celebrated a pair of executive orders signed by President Joe Biden. The orders offer undocumented families new pathways toward citizenship and work visas in the United States.
Guillén played with the Sox from 1985-1997 and was manager from 2004-2011. A member of the Venezuelan Baseball Hall of Fame, Guillén managed the Sox 2005 MLB championship team, becoming the first Latino manager in the league’s history to win a World Series.
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