Below are urgent updates and resources from the Illinois Office to Prevent and End Homelessness (OPEH):
There is no emergency in Chicago that warrants the President of the United States federalizing our National Guard, sending in National Guard troops from other states, or deploying active-duty military within our own borders. We have ongoing public safety efforts to fight crime and reduce gun violence, but unlawful immigration raids and an unnecessary deployment of troops will detract from our progress. The State condemns this continued federal overreach and is committed to supporting people experiencing homelessness, immigrants, and other affected communities by minimizing the potential harm. OPEH is collaborating closely with local partners to identify opportunities for shelter and housing expansion and to coordinate outreach to unsheltered people.
Below are additional actions you can take and resources to be aware of during this time:
Hear from the Governor: Governor Pritzker has publicly condemned President Trump's ongoing threats to deploy National Guard troops and federal agents to Chicago.
Fact Sheet: Public Safety and Violence Prevention in Illinois
Distribute Know Your Rights/Resources Palm Card: The Chicago Coalition to End Homelessness (CCH), in collaboration with partners, has developed the palm card for distribution to people experiencing homelessness and providers: Know Your Rights as an Unsheltered Person (pdf), Know Your Rights as an Unsheltered Person (Spanish) (pdf), Know Your rights as an Unsheltered Person (Chinese) (pdf). Up to date versions of the palm card can be found here: https://chicagohomeless.org/outreach/
- The palm card shares this information line to CCH: If you need help, observe unusual law enforcement activity, or have any information to share, call the Chicago Coalition to End Homelessness at 312-641-4148.
- Chicago-area agencies are encouraged to share the palm card with their clients and community. If you need printed copies, contact homeless.office@illinois.gov to be connected to our partners.
- Review Your Program's ICE Policy: All providers, particularly shelter providers, are encouraged to review their policies and procedures in the event of an Immigration and Customs Enforcement presence at their shelter and to ensure all staff are familiar with your policies. Please see Guidance for Front Line Shelter Staff - Immigration Enforcement Requests (pdf). This resource is only intended as a guide and should be reviewed by your agency's legal counsel. An additional resource is the National Homelessness Law Center's ICE Raid Guidance for Homeless Service Providers: What to do Before, During, and After a Raid (pdf). Providers across Illinois are encouraged to have a policy for responding to ICE onsite and to ensure staff are familiar with their policy.
- Additional Immigration Resources: For additional resources related to immigration, please see IllinoisImmigrationInfo.org. This is a comprehensive website, developed in partnership between The Resurrection Project (TRP), the Illinois Coalition of Immigrant and Refugee Rights (ICIRR), The National Immigrant Justice Center (NIJC), the Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS), and the City of Chicago's Office of Immigrant, Migrant and Refugee Rights (IMRR). The site was designed to empower immigrants with reliable immigration-related information. Key resources on the website include:
- ICIRR's 24/7 Family Support Network Hotline, which families can call in an immigration emergency to get support in English, Spanish, Korean, and Polish (1-855-HELP-MY-FAMILY // 1-855-435-7693)
- The Illinois Immigration Information Hub Know Your Rights Toolkit, which includes information on what to do when encountering immigration enforcement in different settings.
- A comprehensive overview of free and low-cost immigration legal services
- TRP's family emergency plan template, with step-by-step guidance
SNAP Changes Webinar for People Experiencing Homelessness
On September 15, 2025, OPEH and the Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) Division of Family and Community Services co-hosted a webinar focused on recent federal changes to SNAP food assistance and their impact on people experiencing homelessness.
The session provided important updates on new work requirements for SNAP recipients, including veterans, youth aging out of foster care, and individuals experiencing homelessness. These changes, which became law on July 4, mark a shift from previous Illinois policy that allowed exemptions for these groups. Exemptions for people with disabilities remain in place.
Presenters Jill Outland from the IDHS Office of Policy and Program Integrity and Assistant Director, Colleen Mahoney from OPEH outlined how service providers can assist SNAP recipients in documenting disability or work status to maintain their benefits despite these federal policy updates.
This webinar was an important opportunity for direct service providers across Illinois to stay informed and prepare to support SNAP recipients during this transition. Attendees received practical guidance on partnering with DHS and SNAP recipients to minimize disruptions.
View here: SNAP Work Requirements , IDHS SNAP Rules are Changing - What you need to know (pdf)
National Alliance to End Homelessness Executive Order Blog Series
The Trump Administration's recent Executive Order, Ending Crime and Disorder on America's Streets, targets individuals experiencing homelessness, and well-established best practices to support them. OPEH and our colleagues have been working to analyze and speak out about these changes and how they are antithetical to the housing-first solutions we know work.
Furthermore, the misinformation in the Executive Order about harm reduction services and humane responses to homelessness is more than disheartening - it's cruel. OPEH remains committed to not criminalizing homelessness, supporting harm reduction, avoiding unnecessary institutionalization, and pursuing functional zero homelessness. Current IDHS-funded harm reduction programs will not be impacted by the Executive Order.
The National Alliance to End Homelessness is doing an ongoing Blog series to provide context on the federal Executive Order. Find it below:
We are watching closely to understand how the federal policy change seen in the Executive Order is carried out through grants and federal agency policy. We want to hear from you. Please let us know of any federal changes affecting your organization, such as changes to grant terms, incentives, or any other requirements, by emailing us at homeless.office@illinois.gov.
