* From the governor’s press conference today…
Q: Another busload of migrants came in Chicago last night. Has your office reached out to Governor Abbott’s office to see what if anything can be done coordinating, and do you expect these busings to continue?
Pritzker: At the staff level, our staffs have been in contact with one another. But they have been wholly uncooperative in Texas. They are trying to sow chaos around the country, not just here in Chicago. And as you’ve heard, the mayor also had words about this and I will just say that we’re going to do everything we can to care for the these refugees and asylum seekers, who are escaping their homes to come to the United States of America. And it shouldn’t be that the governor of Texas is essentially taking these people, treating them like chattel, treating them like property, putting them on buses, sending them wherever he wants to send them. It shouldn’t be the choice of people who come to this country and of course, the United States government should be managing that. And I guess I’ll just say, if they’re coming to Illinois, and we’re a welcoming state, we’re gonna make sure that they have a place to live. We’re going to make sure that they are able to get fed and get health care. But what’s happening, what the governor of Texas is doing is disgusting and it needs to stop. But again, when people arrive here, we’re going to care for them.
Q: Do you expect this could continue all the way up until the November election?
Pritzker: It certainly could. He sent thousands of migrants, refugees and asylum seekers to Washington DC, sent thousands to New York, now he’s chosen Chicago. And we’ll, like I said, we’ll do what we need to do to make sure that they get the care they need.
* WGN…
More buses should arrive at Union Station in the coming days. The city welcomed about 50 migrants on Sunday. Last Wednesday, more than 60 migrants touched down in Chicago.
“The role here is just to make sure they have the basic needs to live their life,” Duewel said.
More than 100 migrants arrived Wednesday. The Salvation Army told WGN News they’ve seen many families come with children of all ages. The organization adds that its support also includes several staff members within the facility.
“They’re staffed 24 hours a day,” Duewel said. “There is security here 24 hours a day. There’s Salvation Army translators here. There’s city translators here. We have volunteer translators here. We knew that was going to be an issue, so we made sure we were covered there.”
* More…
“We’re a welcoming city, so we’re always gonna step up and do the right thing to make sure that migrants who are coming here to our city are well received,” Lightfoot said during a news conference on Sunday evening.
The mayor said Chicago had not yet heard from any Texas officials and urged the state’s Republican governor, Greg Abbott, to collaborate on a more humane treatment of the asylum seekers and migrants.
“My frustration comes from the actions of the governor of Texas,” Lightfoot said. “There could be a level of coordination and cooperation but he chooses to do none of these things.”
- Roadrager - Thursday, Sep 8, 22 @ 11:28 am:
But Ray Lopez told me that the mayor’s office was 100% in cahoots with Texas on this operation.
- Blue Dog - Thursday, Sep 8, 22 @ 11:34 am:
shouldn’t the orderly processing and relocation of the i.migrants be the responsibility of the Federal govt. I don’t care if it’s a republican or democratic administration.
- Tony DeKalb - Thursday, Sep 8, 22 @ 11:40 am:
@Blue Dog - “should” is the operative word. Unfortunately, Gov. Abbott has taken matters into his own hands.
- Lucky Pierre - Thursday, Sep 8, 22 @ 11:41 am:
Of course Governor Pritzker’s frustration is with the Republican Governors of border states who have been dealing with the chaos of record border crossings, not the failures of the Democratic administration that is allowing it.
3 buses showing up in Chicago with a few hundred migrants who chose to come here and the Governor and Mayor are demanding Federal help to pay for their care?
- Blue Dog - Thursday, Sep 8, 22 @ 11:41 am:
here’s what I dont understand. the American workforce needs between 7 and 9 million workers. why amd the heck can’t we funnel these folks into a processing center and get them on the legal path.
- Last Bull Moose - Thursday, Sep 8, 22 @ 11:42 am:
I saw a report that said the people being bused here were asked if they wanted to go to Chicago and said yes. If true, that takes the chattel argument away.
In the past we have absorbed tens of thousands of undocumented immigrants. They usually stayed in the shadows. This time they are being put front and center.
- Steve - Thursday, Sep 8, 22 @ 11:42 am:
Welcoming cities should welcome non-U.S. citizens if that’s what they claim. CPS is losing students in most recent years. Who could object to migrants from other places? If you claim to be a progressive on immigration. You can’t say Texas hasn’t taken their fair share. Although, Chicago is more dangerous than some places where these folks are coming from. So, there’s that.
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Sep 8, 22 @ 11:44 am:
===Chicago is more dangerous than some places where these folks are coming from.===
Cite, please.
Some of those third world countries have actually lawlessness.
- Dotnonymous - Thursday, Sep 8, 22 @ 11:45 am:
Didn’t “migrants” used to be immigrants?…tricky.
- Infrequent Comments - Thursday, Sep 8, 22 @ 11:49 am:
== Some of those third world countries have actually lawlessness==
Cite, please. What countries are these immigrants to Chicago coming from and what is the proportion of the total? I have not seen this yet so please share for those of us that haven’t not read what you have.
I would also think we should be happy about this. Eventually, this will lead to more votes for the Democrat party in Chicago/Illinois.
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Sep 8, 22 @ 11:52 am:
===Cite, please.===
All the immigrants coming here stating why they left.
Anything else?
- Justintime - Thursday, Sep 8, 22 @ 11:53 am:
sorry for the double post, finger is either too fast or too slow
- Anthony - Thursday, Sep 8, 22 @ 11:53 am:
All this attention for a few hundred migrants; meanwhile in 2021 alone there were two million migrant encounters at the border.
It’s not fair for the migrants to be bused, but Texas is only trying to bring more national attention to the fact our country’s immigration system is completely broken.
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Sep 8, 22 @ 11:54 am:
===Democrat===
Please wear a mask with that heavy mouth breathing.
Facebook is down the dial, and to the “Right”
- City Zen - Thursday, Sep 8, 22 @ 11:56 am:
==3 buses showing up in Chicago with a few hundred migrants who chose to come here and the Governor and Mayor are demanding Federal help to pay for their care?==
This has said more about Chicago’s preparedness than anything else. Certainly at some point over the past few decades, a van has rolled up with people in a similar situation. How did the city manage that?
- Out Here In The Middle - Thursday, Sep 8, 22 @ 12:02 pm:
==Chicago is more dangerous than some places where these folks are coming from.==
Wow. Study some history. The US has spent 50 years messing with governments in central & south america.
Maybe start here: https://www.jstor.org/stable/2633287
- Anthony - Thursday, Sep 8, 22 @ 12:05 pm:
===Chicago is more dangerous than some places where these folks are coming from.===
Cite, please.
Some of those third world countries have actually lawlessness.–
And this isn’t the case in some streets/neighborhoods in Chicago? West Garfield? South Shore, Chatham…
*My best “Come on man” - Joe Biden*
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Sep 8, 22 @ 12:12 pm:
===And this isn’t the case in some streets/neighborhoods in Chicago? West Garfield? South Shore, Chatham…
*My best “Come on man” - Joe Biden*===
(Sigh)
If you are thinking Chicago is a third world He$& Hole, you won’t be convinced otherwise. Good luck.
===Study some history. The US has spent 50 years messing with governments in central & south america.===
Kids are back in the dorms after Labor Day.
I dunno what the point is here, given we’re talking about a couple busloads of folks seeking a better life… today.
- Central Ill - Thursday, Sep 8, 22 @ 12:39 pm:
The governor’s beef should be with the Biden administration who has totally failed on immigration.
- Da big bad wolf - Thursday, Sep 8, 22 @ 1:08 pm:
=== All this attention for a few hundred migrants; meanwhile in 2021 alone there were two million migrant encounters at the border. It’s not fair for the migrants to be bused, but Texas is only trying to bring more national attention to the fact our country’s immigration system is completely broken.===
How is the immigration system broken? The two million migrants are turned back. Some are asylum seekers and are allowed here. What is different than before?
- Da big bad wolf - Thursday, Sep 8, 22 @ 1:11 pm:
=== I would also think we should be happy about this. Eventually, this will lead to more votes for the Democrat party in Chicago/Illinois.===
Are these people going to go through the naturalization process? Is there a legal path for them to do so? What makes you think they will vote Democratic?
- Arsenal - Thursday, Sep 8, 22 @ 1:38 pm:
==Of course Governor Pritzker’s frustration is with the Republican Governors of border states==
Right, because they’re the ones playing games with people’s lives. It is correct to blame those responsible.
- PublicServant - Thursday, Sep 8, 22 @ 2:23 pm:
Well since we have a tight labor market with millions of jobs going unfilled, why don’t we give them jobs? I’ll bet they’d make great employees.
- Chicago Cynic - Thursday, Sep 8, 22 @ 2:28 pm:
I love the constant GOP refrain about how the borders were open and their evidence is that a record number of arrests were made at the border and a record amount of drugs were interdicted. Umm, that kind of says the border is closed and enforcement is robust. But hey, what does logic know?
- Anon - Thursday, Sep 8, 22 @ 4:42 pm:
Seems like Chicago is not so welcoming after all…
https://wgntv.com/news/chicago-welcomes-texas-migrants-then-sends-them-to-burr-ridge/?s=03
Politicians playing hot potato with immigrants.