Migrant buses now go to New York, D.C., and Chicago.
QUICK FACTS:
- Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) has begun bussing illegal immigrants to Chicago, Illinois as part of his protest at the lack of U.S. southern border security.
- The Windy City is the newest destination for volunteers who have been captured for entering the country illegally.
- Previously, migrants allowed to stay in the country due to President Joe Biden’s immigration policies were only bussed to New York and Washington D.C.
- The City of Chicago confirmed they are receiving about 60 migrants from Texas on their first bus.
POLITICIANS STATEMENTS:
- “President Biden’s inaction at our southern border continues putting the lives of Texans—and Americans—at risk and is overwhelming our communities,” Abbott said, according to a press release.
- The Texas governor went on: “To continue providing much-needed relief to our small, overrun border towns, Chicago will join fellow sanctuary cities Washington, D.C. and New York City as an additional drop-off location. Mayor [Lori] Lightfoot loves to tout the responsibility of her city to welcome all regardless of legal status, and I look forward to seeing this responsibility in action as these migrants receive resources from a sanctuary city with the capacity to serve them.”
- A spokesperson for Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s office said in a statement that they would protect the migrants coming to their town: “As a city, we are doing everything we can to ensure these immigrants and their families can receive shelter, food, and most importantly protection. This is not new; Chicago welcomes hundreds of migrants every year to our city and provides much-needed assistance.”
- The progressive mayor’s office also castigated Abbott for sending the alleged asylum seekers, saying, “Unfortunately, Texas Governor Greg Abbott is without any shame or humanity. But ever since he put these racist practices of expulsion in place, we have been working with our community partners to ready the city to receive these individuals.”
BACKGROUND:
- In April, Texas and Arizona began sending illegal immigrants they were unable to keep out of the country without further federal aid to other points in the nation, specifically those in areas with leadership who vocally support more lax border policies.
- As of August, thousands of migrants had been taken to the nation’s capitol and New York City, which has led to outcries of frustration from the city’s leadership.
- The District of Columbia’s pro-immigration mayor called the new arrivals a “humanitarian crisis” and asked for the National Guard to assist with migrants bussed from the southern border.
- New York’s mayor Eric Adams (D) pushed back against the busloads of migrants in his city, saying that Abbott needed to be replaced and he would now be making moves to support Democrat challenger Robert Francis (Beto) O’Rourke in the upcoming gubernatorial race.
