This week, Texas Governor Greg Abbott chartered a plane to transport approximately 120 migrants from El Paso to Chicago.
This move follows the previous transportation of 80,000 migrants by bus to various US cities where Democrats hold positions of power, as per USA Today.
Governor's Chicago Flight Spurs O'Hare Shelter Efforts
Migrants line up as they wait for a bus to Chicago to transport them out of Eagle Pass, Texas on September 26, 2023, at the Mission Border Hope complex, an NGO that assists migrants after they are processed by the US Customs and Border Patrol and with transportation around the United States. Dozens of migrants arrived at the US-Mexico border on September 22, 2023, hoping to be allowed into the United States, with US border forces reporting 1.8 million encounters with migrants in the last 12 months.
Video footage released by the governor's office showed several children accompanied by adults aboard the flight, which departed on Tuesday for O'Hare International Airport. This action came just one day after Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson announced that a bus originating from the border city of Eagle Pass had been impounded in Chicago for dropping off passengers without a permit.
Efforts are currently underway to provide stable shelter for the migrants flown into O'Hare on Tuesday night. The number of migrants at the airport has decreased from 296 to 216 as of Thursday morning. Air mattresses have been provided for many remaining at the airport, while others were transported via school buses to access showers.
Vianney Alarcón, a volunteer with the police station response team assisting migrants at O'Hare Airport, expressed concerns about the possibility of a large influx of migrants requiring the use of police stations once again. Alarcón emphasized the importance of ensuring that migrants with life-term treatment plans receive necessary care and medication.
The Latino Caucus, including Alderman Byron Sigcho-Lopez and US Representative Jesus "Chuy" Garcia, alongside other city and community leaders, gathered in front of the US Immigration and Customs Building to demand more funding from the federal government. They requested assistance from President Joe Biden in dealing with the ongoing border crisis.
Chicago's impounding and citing of buses that violate designated drop-off zones for migrants have resulted in tension between the city and Texas. Governor Abbott defended the charter flight to Chicago, criticizing the "obstruction and targeting" of migrant buses from Texas by sanctuary city Chicago.
He vowed to continue providing relief to overwhelmed Texas border towns until President Biden takes action to secure the border, according to ABC 7 Chicago.
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Chicago Implements Bus Safety Ordinance
In response to Governor Abbott's actions, White House spokesman Angelo Fernández Hernández accused Abbott of using migrants as political pawns and criticized his approach to the border crisis.
The city of Chicago has recently implemented a bus safety ordinance to manage the intake process for asylum-seekers arriving in the city. The first permitted bus arrived on Thursday morning, following the passage of the ordinance in November.
Ana Maria Giordano, a 35-year-old asylum-seeker, recounted her experience upon arrival at O'Hare Airport, expressing confusion and frustration when the transporting staff left without explanation. Giordano, who has brain tumors, had to be rushed to the hospital shortly after landing.
In the midst of these developments, the President has dispatched top administration officials, including Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, to Mexico City. They will meet with Mexican President Lopez Obrador to discuss joint efforts in addressing the border challenges and migratory flows.
As House Speaker Mike Johnson urges President Biden to take action to stem the flow of migrants at the southern border, dozens of major US agricultural groups are calling for the reopening of two rail crossings on the Texas-Mexico border. These crossings were closed due to rising migrant crossings, causing disruptions to trade routes.
The continued influx of migrants at the US-Mexico border remains a pressing issue. President Biden and his administration are under mounting pressure to find effective solutions to this complex problem, Daily Mail reported.
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