>> IT IS UNCLEAR WHETHER CHICAGO OFFICIALS PLAN TO EVICT THOUSANDS OF MIGRANTS FROM CITY SHELTERS AS SOON AS SATURDAY.

THE 60 DAY SHELTER LIMIT COMES AS HEALTH OFFICIALS ARE SCRAMBLING TO COPE WITH AN APPARENT MEASLES OUTBREAK IN THE CITY'S LARGEST SHELTER.

MAYOR BRANDON JOHNSON DEFENDED THE SHELTER LIMIT POLICY ON WEDNESDAY BUT SAYS HE DIDN'T KNOW HOW MANY MIGRANTS WOULD BE FORCED TO LEAVE CITY SHELTERS.

LET'S LISTEN.

>> WITH THIS POLICY IS ESSENTIALLY DONE GIVING US THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE REAL SUBSTANTIVE CONVERSATIONS WITH MIGRANTS TO HELP THEM MOVE.

AND I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S SUBSTANTIAL NUMBER, BUT AGAIN, THEY COULD RETURN TO THE LOADING ZONE.

THAT'S ONE PLACE OR THEY CAN DECIDE TO MOVE ON.

YOU KNOW, THEY DON'T NECESSARILY HAVE TO REMAIN WITHIN THE STRUCTURE THAT WOULD PROVIDE.

>> REPORTER HEATHER SHOWING JOINS US NOW WITH MORE.

HEATHER, THERE'S A LOT TO TALK ABOUT HERE.

AS MANY AS 5,600 MIGRANTS COULD BE FORCED TO LEAVE CITY SHELTERS IN THE UPCOMING WEEKS.

WHY IS THERE SO UNCERTAINTY ABOUT THEIR FATE?

WELL, WHEN THEY ARE BRENDAN JOHNSON ANNOUNCED THIS POLICY BACK IN NOVEMBER.

HE SAID IT WAS BECAUSE THE CITY COULD NO LONGER BEFORE TO COPE WITH THE TOLL OF THE CRISIS, BOTH FINANCIAL AND OTHERWISE.

BUT HE'S ISSUED 3 REPRIEVES TO THIS POLICY ONCE IN JANUARY AND AGAIN IN FEBRUARY, LEADING TO BIG QUESTIONS ABOUT WHETHER HE ACTUALLY INTENDED.

>> TO THIS POLICY.

WE STILL DON'T KNOW THAT ANSWER TODAY.

DESPITE REPEATED QUESTIONS FROM W T TW NEWS AND OTHER NEWS ORGANIZATIONS, WE DON'T KNOW IF THE SHELTER EVICTION POLICY WILL BE IMPLEMENTED THIS WEEKEND AND HOW MANY PEOPLE IT COULD AFFECT LEAVING A LOT OF THESE MIGRANTS, SOME STRUGGLING TO SORT OF MAKE THEIR WAY IN CHICAGO INLAND ABOUT REALLY UNDERSTAND WHAT'S NEXT FOR THE DEADLINE FOR SOME MIGRANTS TO LEAVE.

CITY SHELTERS COMES AS THE CITY IS COPING WITH THE MEASLES OUTBREAK.

IT AT A CITY SHELTER.

WHAT'S THE LATEST THERE?

WHAT CAN YOU TELL US?

WHAT THE LAST UPDATE WE GOT FROM CHICAGO HEALTH OFFICIALS WAS THAT THEY IDENTIFIED 8 CASES OF MEASLES IN THE SHELTER IN PILL.

SO WHICH, OF COURSE, HAS BEEN THE SUBJECT REPEATED COMPLAINTS ABOUT A LACK OF SANITARY FACILITY AND A LACK OF ISOLATION ROOMS FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE ILL.

SO IT IS NOT CLEAR HEALTH OFFICIALS ATTEMPTS TO GET EVERYBODY VACCINATED AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.

WE'LL STOP MEASLES FROM SPREADING ELSEWHERE IN THE CITY.

4TH OTHER SHELTERS LEADING MANY PEOPLE TO URGE THE MAYOR TO PUT PUT A HOLD ON THIS POLICY, AT LEAST UNTIL THIS CRISIS PASS.

AND TALKING ABOUT THE 20 TO CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS HAVE ASKED JOHNSON TO END HIS POLICY LIMITING MIGRANTS TO NO MORE THAN 60 DAYS IN CITY SHELTERS.

WILL THAT FORCE JOHNSON TO REVERSE COURSE?

SO WE ASKED THE MAYOR ABOUT THAT YESTERDAY AT THAT PRESS CONFERENCE.

WE SAW JUST A CLIP OF HIM.

HE REALLY DEFENDED THE POLICY AS A WAY TO SORT OF FORCE MIGRANTS TO SORT OF FIGURE OUT WHAT'S NEXT FOR THEM AND TO HELP THE CITY SERVICE ALONG IN THEIR JOURNEY.

IT'S NOT CLEAR WHAT WILL HAPPEN THOUGH, BUT IT IS CLEAR THAT HE'S FACING INCREDIBLE PRESSURE FROM MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL, INCLUDING ALDERMAN ANDREA VASQUEZ, WHO'S THE CHAIR OF THE IMMIGRANTS RIGHTS COMMITTEE, WHICH USUALLY AN ALLY OF MAYOR WHO DOES NOT WANT TO SEE THESE VULNERABLE PEOPLE, FORCED TO SORT OF SEEK SHELTER ONCE AGAIN, PERHAPS IN A DIFFERENT CITY SHELTER.

I SHOULD ALSO MENTION THAT THERE ARE SOMEWHERE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD OF HUNDREDS OF CHILDREN WHO COULD HAVE THEIR SORT OF FLAGS DISRUPTED BY THIS POLICY.

WHILE OFFICIALS HAVE SAID THEY WILL TRY NOT TO DISRUPT THEIR SCHOOL YEAR.

IT'S NOT CLEAR WHAT STEPS HAVE BEEN TAKEN.

BUT THANK YOU, HEATHER, FOR THAT UPDATE.