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Chicago Mayor Lightfoot Urges Texas Gov. Abbott to Stop Bussing Illegal Migrants to Chicago

Published: May 2, 2023
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Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot reacts as she speaks during an election night rally at Mid-America Carpenters Regional Council on Feb.28, 2023 in Chicago, Illinois. (Image: Kamil Krzaczynski/Getty Images)

On April 30, outgoing Chicago Mayor, Lori Lightfoot, sent a letter to Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, urging him to stop bussing illegal migrants to Chicago, calling the practice both “inhumane” and “dangerous.”

In the letter, which was posted to Twitter, Lightfoot wrote, “Chicago is a Welcoming City and we collaborate with County, State, and community partners to rise to this challenge, but your lack of consideration or coordination in an attempt to cause chaos and score political points has resulted in a critical tipping point in our ability to receive individuals and families in a safe, orderly, and dignified way.”

Chicago braced for another influx of migrants from Texas on Monday, which Lightfoot argued against, saying that the city does not have the resources to house more migrants, having already accommodated around 8,000 individuals. 

She wrote that there were “no more shelters, spaces, or resources” available to house any more arrivals. 

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Texas has been experiencing a massive influx of illegal migrants in recent years, prompting Texas Gov. Abbott to deploy the military in anticipation of another massive influx.

The governor began bussing migrants to different cities across the United States, including New York, Washington D.C., and Chicago to spread awareness of the crisis and to relieve some of the pressure on the communities he serves.

According to data, published by U.S. Customs and Border Protection, in the fiscal year 2022, authorities had over 2.2 million encounters with people attempting to cross into the U.S. illegally and had encounters with over 13,000 unaccompanied minors, at the southern border, in the month of July 2022 alone.

Lightfoot said that many of the migrants arriving in Chicago are in need of food, water and medical care, issues she says Texas failed to address.

“I know by your actions that you either do not see or do not care about the trauma these migrants have already faced and continue to suffer under the humanitarian crisis you have created,” Lightfoot wrote, adding that, “But I beseech you anyway: treat these individuals with the dignity that they deserve. To tell them to go to Chicago or to inhumanely bus them here is an inviable and misleading choice.”