Chicago Home Depot becomes flashpoint for concerns over reported migrant loitering: 'It's unsafe'

CHICAGO - Community frustrations are mounting outside a South Side Home Depot, where neighbors say crowds of migrants looking for work have turned shopping into a stressful and, at times, unsafe experience.

What we know:

The Home Depot in the Princeton Park neighborhood near 87th Street and the Dan Ryan has become a gathering spot for people — many believed to be recent migrants — seeking day labor. Residents and former employees say the number of people outside the store has grown significantly in recent months.

Over the weekend, dozens were seen outside the store’s entrance. Customers say they’re frequently approached by people offering to clean cars or do odd jobs — sometimes following them toward the store or waving them down in the parking lot.

Ms. Berger, a shopper, described it as "an unsettling experience."

"The men, four, five, six, and they're asking you, can I clean your car? Can I wash your windshield?" she said. "Even when you coming out, they like waving their hands for you to stop like you've just hit them."

Zoe Leigh, a local resident, said the makeup of the crowd has shifted.

"At first, it was only Latino immigrants for a long time. Now it's African immigrants over there, now it's Haitian immigrants over there," she said. "You can't sit here and tell me that there's no way that these people can get their work permits to start working on these affordable housing."

Former Home Depot employee Amber described the situation as a failure of both the city and the company.

"They're impeding on traffic, you know? They're outside, it's so many of them… it's unsafe. They're just congregating by all the entrances," she said.

What's next:

Residents are urging both the city and Home Depot to take action.

In a statement, a Home Depot spokesperson said the company enforces a non-solicitation policy and works closely with law enforcement and elected officials to ensure safety.

"Our top priority is the safety of our associates and customers, and we invest significant resources in making sure they can work and shop safely," the spokesperson said.

The city has not publicly addressed the complaints, and Ald. Ronnie Mosley’s office has not responded to requests for comment.