>> A DECISION BY PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN TO ALLOW THOUSANDS OF VENEZUELAN MIGRANTS SENT TO CHICAGO FROM THE SOUTHERN BORDER TO WORK LEGALLY COULD GIVE THEM A PATH OUT OF SHELTERS.

IT IS PRAISED BY ADVOCATES FOR EMIGRANTS ACROSS THE CITY WHO WARN THERE IS MUCH MORE TO BE DONE TO RESOLVE THE CRISIS.

HERE'S ALDERMAN MIKE RODRIGUEZ AT A RALLY IN HILTON THIS MORNING.

>> TODAY, I STAND WITH MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS ACROSS THE SOUTHWEST SIDE OF CHICAGO, ACROSS THE ENTIRE CITY OF CHICAGO TO SAY, THANK YOU BUT WE NEED MORE.

THANK YOU, PRESIDENT, BUT WE DESERVE MORE.

THANK YOU PRESIDENT, BUT OUR COUNTRY DEMANDS MORE FOR OUR IMMIGRANT COMMUNITIES.

>> REPORTER HEATHER SURE OWN IS JOINING US NOW WITH MORE.

WHAT DID THE PRESIDENT DO ON MONDAY NIGHT ?

HE GRANTED TEMPORARY PROTECTIVE STATUS TO A HALF MILLION VENEZUELAN MIGRANTS WHO ARRIVED IN THE UNITED STATES ON OR BEFORE JULY 31st.

THAT MEANS FOR THE NEXT 18 MONTHS, THEY ARE PROTECTED FROM DEPORTATION AND THEY ARE ALLOWED TO WORK LEGALLY IN INDUSTRIES SUFFERING LABOR SHORTAGES.

>> THERE ARE 7100 MEN, WOMEN, AND CHILDREN IN THE CITY'S SHELTERS AND 2100 LIVING AT POLICE STATIONS ACROSS THE CITY AND AT O'HARE.

WHAT IMPACT WILL THIS HAVE ON THEM?

>> SOME OF THEM, THE MAJORITY OF THEM ARE VENEZUELAN.

UNDER THIS PROTECTED STATUS, THEY WILL BE ABLE TO GET A JOB AND EARN ENOUGH MONEY TO MOVE OUT OF THE SHELTERS AND RENT THEIR OWN APARTMENTS OR HOMES.

NOW THEY WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO WORK IN ANY JOB.

THEY HAVE TO WORK IN JOBS FACING LABOR SHORTAGES LIKE TRANSPORTATION, FOOD PROCESSING, AND WAREHOUSING.

THERE ARE LIMITS.

BUT IT IS A LIGHT AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL FOR SOME OF THESE PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN LIVING IN CITY SHELTERS AND AT POLICE STATIONS FOR MONTHS.

>> DIDN'T MAYOR JOHNSON AND GOVERNOR PRITZKER ASK THE PRESIDENT TO DO THIS SOME WEEKS AGO?

>> THEY SURE DID.

AND THIS HAS BEEN A RECURRENT ASK NOT JUST FROM ILLINOIS DEMOCRATS BUT NEW YORK INCLUDING MAYOR ADAMS.

THE PRESIDENT WAS IN A ROCK AND A HARD PLACE BECAUSE AS THIS TOOK OVER THE DEBATE, HE FEARED CREATING ANOTHER SURGE OF MIGRANTS TO THE SOUTHERN BORDER WHICH COULD COMPLICATE THE EFFORT TO RUN FOR REELECTION.

BUT LIMITING IT TO THOSE HERE BY JULY 31st, THE PRESIDENT IS HOPING IT WILL NOT TRIGGER A SURGE WHILE GIVING DEMOCRATIC OFFICIALS LIKE GRANDEN JOHNSON AND GOVERNOR PRITZKER HELP IN THE CRISIS.

>> JOHNSON WAS FACING CRITICISM FROM HIS ALLIES FOR SIGNING A $25 MILLION CONTRACT TO BUILD A BASE CAMP THAT WE HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT.

IT WOULD MOVE MIGRANTS OUT OF THE POLICE STATION AND AIRPORTS.

WHY IS THIS CONTROVERSIAL?

>> THE FIRM THAT THE CITY AGREED TO CONTRACT WITH, GUARDA WORLD FEDERAL SERVICES, ALSO HAD A CONTRACT WITH FLORIDA GOVERNOR RON DESANTIS.

THEY WERE THE FIRM THAT HE CONTRACTED WITH TO MOVE MIGRANTS FROM FLORIDA AND OTHER STATES TO DEMOCRATIC STATES AS PART OF THIS POLITICAL FOOTBALL GAME AS JOHNSON AND PRITZKER HAVE SAID.

THAT BROUGHT INTENSE CRITICISM FROM JOHNSON'S ALLIES ON THE CITY COUNCIL SAYING THE CITY SHOULD NOT BE CONTRACTING WITH SUCH A FIRM.

AND NOT ALL OF THE CITY COUNCILMEMBERS ARE CONVINCED THAT BASE CAMPS ARE THE WAY TO GO TO ADDRESS THIS CRISIS.

SO WE WILL HAVE TO KEEP WATCHING.