>> Thousands of local veterans are feeling the impact of sweeping federal cuts and funding freezes as the government shutdown continues.

That's relying on food assistance are facing extra challenges.

Some some advocates say that they're worried about the future of veterans benefits as staffing cuts hit agencies like the U.S.

Department of Veterans Affairs and those pressures didn't go unnoticed at local gatherings to commemorate Veterans Day.

>> I no longer stand where I once did on the battlefield abroad.

But I find myself on one still here at home.

In the heart of a nation.

I love fighting not with weapons, but with the truth with resolve.

And with a new renewed sense of purpose.

And I invite you all to join me.

Not in fear, but encourage.

Not in despair, but hope.

>> Joining us now with more our 36th Ward Alderman Gilbert Villegas, who represents part of the north northwest side like Belmont Craig Portage Park.

He's also a former U.S.

Marine Nick J Sick an employee at the Jesse Brown VA Medical Center.

He served in the U.S.

Air Force and Gabriel VA Gomez, Veterans Services director at Kennedy King College.

Also a former Marine.

Gentlemen, thank you for joining us and thank you for your service So we just heard about this new battlefield that veterans are having to navigate once leaving service.

Nick, that basic you work with veterans were struggling with mental health and substance abuse at Jesse Brown.

What are some of the challenges that veterans are facing in getting health care?

I think.

>> In the context of substance use and mental health.

One of the things that I want to point out is there's an executive order a couple months ago calling for the abolition of harm reduction services as well as VA Secretary Doug Collins mentioning that homeless programs and suicide prevention programs are ineffective.

Those are programs that I have benefited from greatly harm reduction, suicide prevention and homelessness.

Those are all services that I received my own recovery at the VA.

And so to hear the abductions are just not interrupt you.

But just so that people know what it is.

It is, of course, providing other drugs to box zones and such to help come off of the to help stabilize after the use opioids.

Accurate?

Yeah.

Medication assisted treatment injuries.

The common form of harm reduction.

And so to hear these things under attack and >> potentially in the future, getting them repealed is very scary there is no alternative service that can be provided in the community despite claims otherwise.

It's a lot of challenges that in getting the care that you need based on some moves that this administration has made.

>> Gabriel, you're a Marine veteran honorably discharged in 2013 coming out of service.

You went through your own sort uncertain transition period.

Was that like for you?

was honorably discharged in 2013.

And I do believe >> recall that for that first year, that period of uncertainty.

All right.

I serve my country now.

I'm joining a society again.

What is my future going to look like who can I rely on?

I feel very fortunate to have relied on are come.

Some lacrosse for the great mentors are in that first year.

And I think those mentors have stay with me as an inspiration to become an advocate for veterans exiting service, connecting them with resources with opportunities even now does too help them find a pathway to employment through the power of partnerships.

One of those would be the utility military assistance program with people's gas.

Weeds has allowed to please over 800 veterans since its inception 12 years ago.

300 plus alone during my tenure with city colleges connecting them with high income paying jobs as utility workers.

And I do want to extend gratitude to all they're going to be a dozen.

The 36 ward for helping with the first and being a partner in this mission of disseminating that information connecting veterans with jobs.

I imagine your own experience probably helps you have a better understanding of what what veterans need.

That might be different from, you know, a typical student Katie King.

>> Yeah, most definitely not.

Just in terms of applying getting accepted into the college but all supportive services to have a somebody that even not just veterans but still service member of the guard and the national reserves.

>> Who might have their their out their service obligations to the country will.

Now we have every city college is a quick with one of those advocates to make sure that their professors and the administration understands what they need to do and make sure that they're not penalize to have all the support that they need.

So according to the U.S.

Department of Veterans Affairs, there are over half a million vets in Illinois.

>> In the state there is one Veterans Benefits, administration regional office, 5 inpatient care sites.

36 outpatient sites and 11 vet centers.

All going to be a How would you describe the state VA care local in?

>> You know, it's very frustrating that the men and women that serve this country.

I'm not for the opportunity for reliable healthcare, reliable jobs, reliable housing.

At the local level, we and we see that.

And that's why we've put forward veteran affairs office that that sets the tone and really collaborate with other entities, whether in the Cook County are at at the federal government or state government to find out how we can bring these resources.

This when I discharged in 92 pretty Internet.

You know, I'm looking through the paper for an opportunity and similar to Gabriel trying feel it realized what my purposes I went from full employment, a purpose to unemployment and trying to figure out my future look like and so I always said that if I was ever in a position to effectuate change, which I am now we'll put programs in place with the city.

We put programs in place despite the federal government not stepping up.

So we took a look at increasing the Affordable shocked that the affordable housing 10%, of that goes to veterans.

Took a look at veterans preference for positions and also we created veteran business Enterprise program for those entrepreneurs, veterans that want to be entrepreneurs.

Again, we're we're going to we're not going to rely on the federal government as local government going to step up and make sure that the men and women that rose their their right hand to defend this country are enough.

They're not forgotten.

Now among some of the cuts that the VA has implemented, you know, they say that the terminated union contracts, which covered here on this program some months ago.

>> For most bargaining unit employees, they say that that money has been redirected from wasteful union spending back to the veterans be into the dei department, which they say is a 14 million dollar savings for the for Department.

Nick Disability pay and other VA benefits, though, weren't impacted by this current shutdown.

But what has been the impact for veterans who rely on services like SNAP and Medicaid, which have been impacted?

>> He's been pretty significant rate.

I want I want also, you know, comment that I want to separate people who work at the VA from the administration themselves because the people who provide services at the VA outstanding, dedicated public servants, including myself in are not representative of the administration at the local level rate, but people have not been able to file.

We're checking on their school benefits with the BA closed.

No new disability claims are able to be filed right now, which is extremely problematic.

Great when people are ready to go in and get those services that they need as well as we have a number of veterans who are coming in saying, I don't know where I'm going to get my food from rate and they don't have enough in their retirement or savings to cover that rate.

So thankfully, community members are stepping up and people are still asking, you know, or when is the hammer going to drop?

And housing benefits going to get pulled, not saying that they will.

But you know, people are asking people are scared.

Only Villegas.

We've seen ice rates aggressively ramping up all over the city with also seen him especially targeting.

>> Little village.

There have been some cases nationally of noncitizen veterans being arrested by federal agents.

What do you say to the veterans who are worried that that could happen to them?

>> You know, I'm really, really frustrated that ripped Republican congressman are not actually be a check on this administration.

We see that right now.

Republicans hold the president, the White House, they hold the Senate and the House and they hold the Congress and they should be really focused on putting forward a pathway to immigration to eliminate the fear and really stop throwing red meat to Trump's base.

Reality is that they're in charge.

Want to go ahead and put forward a pathway to citizenship.

want to secure the border.

Let's have that discussion.

But the reality is that there are in charge and they need to make sure that the putting forward a path, 11 million people that are your neighbors are not going anywhere.

And so as the federal government needs to step up, these are folks that are contributing and those veterans that have served the fact that that the Supreme Court has said, hey, anyone who looks like they may belong here, ice, you have the opportunity to arrest them.

Is it again?

It just goes against everything that America stands Gabriel, several local veterans today they organized to push back against the Trump administration and several veterans services today.

Typically when you are serving in the military, that is not something that you can do.

>> What do you make a veteran communities mobilizing in this way?

>> I believe that service extends beyond when you when are hangar, put away the uniform and I am glad to see my fellow brothers and sisters in arms advocating for those who can't and even within my scope of work, I want to follow that example.

And many of my colleagues as well by reminding our local community here in Chicago that veterans are more than a uniform and a gun uniform and a rifle.

But we are also community leaders engaging with the local communities here in Little Village here in Englewood, advocating for the rights of others and and integrating and collaborating together as you have has he done at this table right here tonight.

Thanks to the 3 of you for joining us