Mayor vows to remove unhoused people from O’Hare as more seek shelter at airport

A man sleeps next to an elevator bank near Terminal 2 at O’hare International Airport on Thursday, Feb. 16, 2023. Conservative media has recently painted a bleak picture of homelessness at the airport. The mayor and others who work in the field dispute this. (Tyler Pasciak LaRiviere/Sun-Times)

Mayor Lori Lightfoot vowed to do everything she can to remove unhoused people at O’Hare Airport, calling it a safety issue, after the situation drew national attention — and criticism.

Advocates and workers say the number of unhoused people that sleep or take refuge at the airport has increased substantially this year.