Johnson went to Los Angeles on Feb. 2 for a conference of the African American Mayors Association, then stayed to attend the Grammy Awards the evening of Feb. 4, according to his schedule.

Through a Freedom of Information Act request, NBC 5 Investigates obtained his daily schedule for the trip as well as records showing charges to the City of Chicago’s American Express business travel account in connection with the trip.

Airline transaction details show Johnson traveled with executive assistant Ashlee Horton, as well as senior advisor Jason Lee and senior project manager Maurice Robinson. The names of four individuals were redacted. They appear to be Chicago police officers, part of the mayor’s security detail. When asked how many officers routinely travel with the mayor, CPD pointed to the mayor’s office. A spokesman for the mayor said, “4 is standard.”

Airfare, lodging and travel agency fees for the trip cost a combined $7,949.96, records show. But the city redacted some of the additional expenses, like rental cars and a full page of charges, citing privacy concerns.

Those heavy redactions raise questions about transparency – and just how much the trip actually cost.

“When you’re the mayor of a city like Chicago, the public has a right to know what you are doing on their behalf and is owed explanation of why that’s a valuable investment on our part as taxpayers,” said the Better Government Association’s David Greising. “To be aggressive in redacting information doesn’t follow through on that obligation and to not explain why redactions are made is fitting into a pattern of not being responsive to legitimate public interest in the mayor’s activities.”

The release of the redacted records came amid a rocky few weeks for Johnson. The Chicago Sun-Times revealed Monday that the mayor and his team left an editorial board meeting when his press secretary insisted – and the Sun-Times refused – that the meeting be off the record.

Some have questioned the optics of Johnson’s attendance at  the Grammys when there are crises at home – migrants and school shootings, among others – yet he has limited his interactions with Chicago media, sometimes going weeks at a time without taking any questions.

“Sometimes it appears that Mayor Johnson enjoys the trappings of office more than he enjoys other public parts of his work, in particular the need for the mayor to be responsive to questions to the public’s legitimate interest in what he is doing,” Greising said. “If he wants to attend the Grammys, all power to him. If he likes the Grammys, great. But he can’t enjoy those benefits of office and not uphold his end of the bargain and be responsive to the public’s interest, as channeled through reporters often, in what he is doing.”

“The mayor’s not yet a full year into his term in office. Maybe he’s learning as he goes, maybe he’ll get better,” Greising continued. “It’s not too late for a reset yet but the clock is ticking and that time is running out fast.”

“This kind of careful tracking of the mayor’s activities that NBC 5 is doing that is a reminder to the public that the mayor is spending our money and a reminder to the mayor that we’re watching as well,” he added.

Volunteers and those staying in the shelter say people are falling ill at the large temporary shelter on South Halsted.

While the cause of the child’s death remains unclear, the Chicago Fire Department confirmed that four other people – mostly children – were transported from the shelter with fevers on Monday.

The Chicago Department of Public Health said the cause of the 5-year-old boy’s death was unclear, but that it was investigating and “responding to what is a deeply tragic occurrence.”

In a statement, a CDPH spokesman said that there also have been reported cases of chickenpox in both children and adults at the shelter at 2241 S. Halsted, where the child was found unresponsive and later died.

Medical volunteers also told NBC 5 Investigates that they’ve been denied access to the shelters – turned down from offering their services.

They shared with NBC 5 Investigates a recent text message between a medical volunteer with the Migrant Mobile Health Team and the city of Chicago’s contractor, Favorite Healthcare Staffing, which staffs the city’s migrant shelters.

In the text exchange, the medical school student volunteer asks if they will be moved to doing triage at the shelters once Chicago police stations have been cleared of migrants. The Favorite staffer replied: “… At this time, we don’t believe we will need help in the shelters.”

Favorite Healthcare Staffing released the following statement to NBC 5 Investigates:

“We are heartbroken to learn of the death of a child at a Pilsen shelter on Sunday, and we send our deepest condolences to his loved ones and community. We take the safety and wellbeing of all shelter residents seriously. Our team is working closely with the City of Chicago and other authorities to support an investigation into what occurred.”

Dr. Evelyn Figueroa, a physician and medical volunteer, told NBC 5 Investigates that she feared it would take a tragic event to change something.

Dr. Figueroa said a medical student volunteer from the Migrant Mobile Health Team – which had been providing medical assistance to migrants temporarily living at police stations – was granted access to the migrant shelter on South Halsted on Monday afternoon. Figueroa said she believes the child’s death was the catalyst that led the volunteers to gain access.

“I wish I could say that I didn’t expect this, but I expected this to happen,” she said. “I expected there to be some atrocity in the building and that would finally give us that leverage. It shouldn’t be like that, if people state that they are suffering, we should just believe them.”

Figueroa also co-founded the Pilsen Food Pantry, where she said migrants have been showing up asking for food, clothing and medicine.

Food pantry volunteer coordinator Veronica Saldana became emotional when talking about the hurdles she watched unfold.

“It shouldn’t take people dying for you to do something – for you to ask for help,” she said.

During a city event, Mayor Brandon Johnson said he was “deeply sorry and hurt” by the death of the child, but defended the city of Chicago’s efforts.

“I want you to hear me good, They are showing up sick. Do you hear me?  They are showing up sick. The issue is not just how we respond in the City of Chicago…” Johnson said.

When asked about why volunteers were being stymied from providing medical assistance and if he would provide a response to the criticism that medical care has been inadequate, Johnson replied:  “So there are volunteers that want to provide medical assistance?”

When NBC 5 Investigates told him “yes” and that they are medically trained to do so, Johnson said: “I don’t know where you are getting that information from what I can say is this, that the conditions in which people are arriving in, there is no secret that they had been showing up sick. That’s not a secret that there has been ambulatory runs – even at police districts.”

Mayor Johnson did not respond directly to the question about if he would respond to criticism about the care.

NBC 5 Investigates – and other news outlets – have reported on the efforts of the Migrant Mobile Health Team – a group of up to 250 medical community volunteers who have provided medical assistance to migrants at Chicago police stations.

Their head coordinator even testified during a City Council committee hearing in late September where she described the pain points in trying to coordinate with the city of Chicago.

The city of Chicago released the following statement late Monday:

“The City of Chicago is currently sheltering 13,992 new arrivals at 27 temporary shelters. Many new arrivals survive brutal and dangerous journeys to border states and are promptly and inhumanely shipped out with little to no triage. In border states, new arrivals are spending the night outdoors without a shower, running water, or food. Border states do not take appropriate measures to ensure the safety of individuals they load onto buses. This carelessness directly contributed to the death of a three-year-old girl in September of this year and may continue to have devastating effects.  

When new arrivals reach our city from the Southern border, the City of Chicago puts forth every effort to keep them healthy. Decompressing police stations was crucial to new arrivals’ wellness as we have implemented thorough health screenings at shelters. Public health screenings are provided to all new arrivals to identify individuals with acute medical conditions or emergencies that should be directed to an emergency room. Once placed at a City shelter, all new arrivals are offered opt-in transportation to Cook County Health (CCH) for a medical intake or a sick visit.  

The shelter at 2241 S. Halsted St. houses a large population of new arrivals who might have multiple needs for evaluation. For this and any other shelter, anyone with acute medical needs that requires immediate attention should be transported to the nearest emergency department for assistance. 

Additionally, the Chicago Department of Public Health funds healthcare partners to go onsite to shelters weekly to provide shelter-based care to individuals who might not have plans to go to CCH. City shelters also receive healthcare referral lists to provide new arrivals that are interested in seeking care directly and on their own. Transportation to nearby emergency departments is provided to shelter residents with acute needs or who are experiencing urgent medical duress.  

Many new arrivals receive catch-up vaccinations during their scheduled medical encounters at the Cook County Health Belmont Cragin migrant clinic, as well as from other Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) and other providers caring for new arrivals. The Chicago Department of Public Health continues to support shelter-based care through its partners, including on-site screenings, infection prevention, and vaccinations. 

An investigation is ongoing and any changes to safety protocols for staff will be made based on the findings. Currently, physical health protocol in an emergency (i.e. chest pain, difficulty breathing, decreased responsiveness, confusion, unstoppable bleeding, severe pan, blue or unexplained pale skin), shelter staff are directed to call 9-1-1 and report any medical emergencies in line with the Critical Incident Reporting protocol. Shelter staff may also refer people to Cook County Health, FQHCs, Shelter Base Care (LCOs) for non-urgent care. 

We are at a critical point in the humanitarian crisis and the city is facing the challenge to provide shelter for the daily influx of new arrivals sent to Chicago from the southern border. All temporary emergency shelters that have been opened were selected due to the large capacity they can safely serve; the facility is in good condition, requires minimal upgrades and are available for emergency activation within a short timeframe. With the fluid nature of this endeavor, and the high number of individuals arriving each day it is vital we provide safe, secure, and temporary emergency shelter for asylum seekers to receive necessary services to resettle in Chicago or another destination with dignity.  

The Johnson Administration has continuously worked to improve shelter conditions by renegotiating inherited contracts, issuing RFPs, and prioritizing safety. We are committed to continuing to work collaboratively with the Department of Family Support Services and mutual aid groups on improving this operation.  

Chicago continues to prioritize safety and improving our New Arrivals Mission, but any life lost prematurely is a grave tragedy. The death of a child is a deeply tragic event, and our condolences go out to the Martinez family. The Chicago Department of Public Health (CDPH) is coordinating with the Cook County Medical Examiner, who is investigating the cause of death, along with the Mayor’s Office and other city agencies to investigate this incident. We will provide updates as more information becomes available.”

The rejection of the site follows a pause on construction over the weekend as the Illinois EPA reviewed a recent environmental assessment report.

The 800-page report released late Friday by the City of Chicago revealed the presence of toxic metals – including mercury in the soil at levels that exceeded environmental standards.

In an accompanying statement, the City of Chicago said that the soil had been removed and disposed of at an off-site location and that additional remediation efforts were planned. A six-inch layer of gravel was added to the site to mitigate exposure concerns.

On Tuesday, Gov. Pritzker released a statement saying the Illinois EPA had reviewed the environmental assessment report and found that both the testing and the remediation efforts were “insufficient.”

Pritzker’s statement Tuesday read in part: “IEPA cited concerns related to insufficient soil sampling and remediation. Given the significant time required to conduct additional sampling, to process and analyze results, and to implement corresponding further remediation, the State will work with the City to identify alternate shelter options.”

The statement later read:

“IEPA conducted a thorough review of the Environmental Investigation and Corrective Action Summary prepared for the City of Chicago and identified several concerns with the sampling and remediation work performed at the Brighton Park site. IEPA found:

1. The limited nature and insufficient number of soil borings conducted at the site does not provide a comprehensive assessment of environmental conditions across the site.
2. Additional soil sampling is needed to further determine if there is additional contamination at the site and to fully investigate potential sources of contamination that were identified from historical site use.

The remediations implemented thus far do not satisfy IEPA standards and are insufficient. At a minimum, an expanded engineered barrier between contaminated soil and human exposure would need to be installed to address exposure concerns. Further investigation might also identify additional contamination that would require additional remediation.”

Mayor Brandon Johnson, who has ignored questions in recent days, did speak with reporters Tuesday afternoon after the news broke.

“The state did not provide any additional guidelines or any sort of methodology in which they were requiring us to go by. So we use the standards that were available to us, the site has been substantiated as being safe by third party validators,” Johnson said.

Johnson said the city’s mission will continue to be to remove migrants from sleeping outside Chicago police stations and inside airports as winter arrives.

The 800-page report notes that the city’s testers returned to the site on November 14 to further explore areas where mercury was discovered.

That raises questions about if the city could have publicly shared details about the contamination sooner.

NBC 5 Investigates pressed Johnson about that Tuesday:

“Well, the agreement is with a private entity, ” Johnson said. “So, there are different processes that take place when it’s a private space. This private space and this agreement that the state of Illinois went into with GardaWorld that because it is a private space, that there are processes and procedures that apply differently than a publicly owned space,” Johnson said, adding later:

“We’ve always been forthright that we were at testing for environmental hazards. That was never a question of what our work entailed. And so, as I said that we will make that report available based upon the guidelines and standards, the legal standards that are established in order for that information to be made available. I’ve kept my word that report is available throughout that entire process.”

When asked last Tuesday what specific contaminants were found on the site, Johnson would not answer, only saying: “The assessment is ongoing, the full report will be provided by the end of the week.”

The City of Chicago paid Terracon Consultants $50,000 to conduct the environmental assessment report.

It also inked a land use agreement that could’ve put Chicago taxpayers on the hook for up to $548,000. But there is language in the contract that allows the city to get out of the deal if the land is deemed to be not suitable for its intended use.

When asked if the City of Chicago intends to get out of this agreement, a spokesman for the mayor said that is under review.

When asked about who will foot the bill for the current construction costs thus far, the spokesman said the costs would go to the state.

Another migrant site location near 115^th and Halsted is still under review, according to spokesman Ronnie Reese.

“I told you Favorite should’ve been gone. They have not set the standard for what we do in our city,” 20th Ward Ald. Jeanette Taylor said during the hearing.

NBC 5 Investigates has been reporting on the hourly rates for Favorite Healthcare Staffing, which contracts show run between $135 to more than $200 an hour – rates aldermen have called “exorbitant.”

Mayor Brandon Johnson’s administration has said those hourly rates were inflated to cover administrative costs for Favorite, including items like hotel fees for out-of-town employees.

Financial records obtained by NBC 5 Investigates show that the city of Chicago has spent at least $57 million in the past year on Favorite Healthcare Staffing.

During Friday’s meeting, Johnson’s administration announced it was working to further reduce costs by encouraging Favorite to hire local employees at reduced hourly rates.

“We’ve been able to from August 7 through September 15 increase local hires from 77 to 265. Favorite is now going to provide a local bill rate resulting in a greater than 20% savings for local positions,” according to Johnson’s deputy chief of staff Cristina Pacione-Zayas.

NBC 5 Investigates has asked both Favorite and the mayor’s office repeatedly what those new local rates are, but had yet to be provided an answer as of Friday.

A newly-hired spokesperson told NBC 5 Investigates that Favorite Healthcare Staffing would not comment for this report.

Favorite Healthcare Staffing has 750 employees working across the city’s shelters, according to the mayor’s office. In an effort to further reduce costs, the Johnson administration has put out a request for proposal for community-based providers to help run shelters.

Earlier this month, the city announced another $29 million for another company – GardaWorld – to build temporary shelters.

Criticism of the spending continued Friday.

“Today I ask of my colleagues that we consider modifying the shameful contracts practically, in practical terms so that we can support efforts that count,” said Ald. Byron Sigcho-Lopez of the 25th Ward.

NBC 5 has asked for months for financial records – but has only been provided two invoices – including one from last December that shows Favorite turned in an invoice for $20,000 for a nurse working at the High Ridge YMCA.

We also received one $14,000 invoice for a facility manager.

Aldermen have criticized the mayor’s administration and the city’s procurement process with keeping the legislative body in the dark.

Ald. Taylor said the potential costs savings announced by the mayor’s office don’t quell her concerns.

“I am not moved by that being 20 percent. Get rid of them. I want them gone,” she said.

NBC 5 Investigates has asked both Favorite Healthcare Staffing and the mayor’s office for specifics about what the new rates are and if contract addenda were necessary or signed by both sides. We have not received a response to thas of Friday afternoon.