CHICAGO, Ill. (WTVO) — Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker released a statement Thursday after Texas Governor Greg Abbott sent the first busload of undocumented immigrants to Chicago on Wednesday.
“Illinois welcomes refugees, asylum seekers and immigrants and we are working with federal and city officials to ensure that these individuals are treated with respect and safety as they look to connect with their family and friends,” Pritzker said. “My great-grandfather came to this country as an immigrant fleeing Ukraine in 1881. Immigrants just like my family seeking freedom and opportunity built this country. Illinois is and has always been a welcoming state.”
According to Abbott’s office, thousands of undocumented migrants have been transported to D.C. and New York City, providing “much-needed relief to Texas’ overwhelmed border communities.”
Abbott cited Chicago’s “Welcoming City Ordinance” as a reason why he selected it as the state’s third drop-off location.
“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,” Abbott said. “Mayor 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.”
Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s office released a statement Wednesday night saying they received approximately 60 migrants. She also described Gov. Abbott’s actions at “racist practices.”
Abbott has said that his state’s infrastructure is being strained by supporting thousands of migrants who arrive through the Texas border each day, and has cited the Biden administration’s border policies for encouraging migrants to circumvent legal immigration ports of entry.
CNN reported that New York City officials said their intake and care centers were being overwhelmed by the arrival of migrants sent by Texas.
“I hope [Mayor Eric Adams] follows through on his promise of welcoming all migrants with open arms so that our overrun and overwhelmed border towns can find relief,” Abbott said at the time, and invited the mayor to visit the Texas border in order to see his region’s situation first hand.
