Outgoing Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot (D) has implored Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) to cease sending busloads of migrants to her city, citing the city’s inability to accommodate them safely and humanely. In her letter, Lightfoot stated that Chicago, a self-proclaimed sanctuary city, has taken in over 8,000 individuals since the first buses arrived from Texas, stretching resources thin.
Lightfoot expressed her concern that Chicago has reached “a critical tipping point in our ability to receive individuals and families in a safe, orderly, and dignified way.” She emphasized the city’s lack of shelter, space, and resources to handle the increasing number of migrants, many of whom require food, water, clothing, and medical care upon arrival.
Perhaps Lightfoot should write to Biden asking him to close the border.
“Lightfoot doesn’t explain why she believes small, overwhelmed border towns in Texas are better equipped to handle the unending influx of migrants across the Biden administration’s open border than a major… https://t.co/sPDwuGwq1n
— Donna (@IAmTheStorm__) May 2, 2023
Abbott has been sending buses of migrants to self-proclaimed sanctuary cities like Chicago, New York City, Washington, D.C., and Philadelphia in response to the border crisis. In his reply to Mayor Lightfoot’s plea, he stated that the border crisis is a national issue, not just a Texas problem. He urged her to call on President Biden to secure the border, repel illegal immigrants, classify Mexican drug cartels as foreign terrorist organizations, and intercept the deadly fentanyl endangering the nation. Abbott asserted that Texas would continue the busing program until the federal government secures the border and addresses the mass migration issue.
In a recent statement, New York City Mayor Eric Adams (D) accused Abbott of targeting cities led by Black mayors, claiming his actions are “morally bankrupt” and devoid of concern for the well-being of asylum seekers. Other sanctuary jurisdiction leaders, such as Colorado Gov. Jared Polis (D), have voiced their discontent with the migrant relocations, calling it “unfair for local governments to have to take on this national obligation.”
Lightfoot acknowledged the challenges faced by border towns in Texas but argued that passing the responsibility to other cities would not solve the problem. She has called on the federal government for additional resources and support to manage the migrant influx and demanded policy changes to the U.S. immigration system.
In her letter, Lightfoot also mentioned her request for the federal government to withhold FEMA funding for Texas if buses of migrants continue to be sent to Chicago. However, she expressed her preference to work with Abbott rather than against him, stating, “The immigration crisis is a national challenge that requires national collaboration. Let’s work together to find a real solution for the good of our country and the individuals seeking safety in refuge.”
As sanctuary cities across the nation grapple with the consequences of the border crisis, it remains to be seen whether the Biden administration will bother to assist with finding a solution to this pressing issue.
