* Chicago hasn’t updated its migrant dashboard since Wednesday, when it reported 5,665 people in shelters, well below the 13,900 in late January - a 59 percent decrease.
* The Sun-Times last August…
Chicago could experience a fivefold increase in arriving migrants — up to 10 busloads a day — sent here by Republican governors trying to embarrass and strain Democratic sanctuary cities in the run-up to the 2024 Democratic National Convention, a top mayoral aide said Monday.
* Today from Block Club Chicago…
In a primetime speech Wednesday at the Republican National Convention, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott doubled down on busing migrants from border cities to Chicago.
Abbott began sending busloads of migrants from Texas to Chicago and other Democrat-led cities in August 2022 in protest of federal policies. He was soon joined by other leaders; in all, almost 45,000 migrants and 950 buses have been sent to Chicago, according to the latest city data
And the controversial practice will “continue to roll until we finally secure our border,” Abbott said as the RNC crowd chanted “send them back.” […]
Last month, Biden signed executive orders that temporarily closed the southern U.S. border, “the most restrictive border policy implemented by a modern Democratic president,” according to Borderless Magazine. Crossings have plunged since then, CBS2 reports.
Meanwhile, the city has closed some of its shelters, including those taking over Park District field houses, as busing has slowed since the start of the year.
The city now has 17 shelters, down from nearly 30.
* From Pritzker spokesperson Alex Gough…
“Governor Abbott continues to demonstrate that his number one priority is political grandstanding, rather than the lives and wellbeing of human beings desperately seeking a better life. Illinois continues to humanely provide shelter and services to new arrivals, just as we also continue to call for Republicans in Congress to move beyond empty rhetoric and actually work with President Biden to pass meaningful immigration reform.”
- Macon Bakin - Friday, Jul 19, 24 @ 7:56 am:
Performative cruelty that said ICE noncooperation ordinances were outlawed in 1996
- Macon Bakin - Friday, Jul 19, 24 @ 7:58 am:
Albeit this was before the creation of ICE, applying to the predecessor.
- TJ - Friday, Jul 19, 24 @ 8:17 am:
Practical human trafficking as a platform, but meanwhile the media focuses on a dude having a bad head cold.
- Demoralized - Friday, Jul 19, 24 @ 8:46 am:
Of course he will. It shouldn’t surprise anyone that this petty, uncaring, hateful man would do this before and during the convention.
Abbott is just more representation of how reprehensible the Republican Party has become.
- TheInvisibleMan - Friday, Jul 19, 24 @ 8:46 am:
Illinois should offer free one way bus tickets to Texas, to any convicted sex offender US citizen who wants one.
If we’re going to be forced to play this game, then lets play it.
Win-win for Illinois. Allow the adjudicated and convicted predators to go to Texas for no cost to them, and take in the only segment of the population which is contributing to job growth.
- JS Mill - Friday, Jul 19, 24 @ 9:29 am:
=It shouldn’t surprise anyone that this petty, uncaring, hateful man would do this before and during the convention.=
Yep.
I guess the hurricane recovery is all done and that is why he had time to go to a convention. Glad he has his priorities straight. PTL and all that stuff.
- Homebody - Friday, Jul 19, 24 @ 9:32 am:
Abbott should just starting busing Houstonians to Chicago. Better than being stuck in Texas.
- TJ - Friday, Jul 19, 24 @ 9:34 am:
2024 in a nutshell:
Republicans bus people from red states to blue states for rank political theatrics.
Democrats bus people from red states to blue states to get access to proper healthcare.
- Nick Name - Friday, Jul 19, 24 @ 10:05 am:
There is a special place in hell for those who exploit the poor and vulnerable.
- Google Is Your Friend - Friday, Jul 19, 24 @ 10:18 am:
For Greg Abbott, it’s a better headline than
* Greg Abbott Hightailed It Out of Texas Just in Time for Hurricane Beryl ((Esquire)
* Gov. Greg Abbott defends trip to East Asia during Hurricane Beryl (Texas Tribune)
* Abbott and Patrick botched the response to Hurricane Beryl (Houston Chronicle)
- Amalia - Friday, Jul 19, 24 @ 10:34 am:
I think Illinois should run some ads down in Texas. We have tornadoes and power you have no power and Gov. Abbott.
- Demoralized - Friday, Jul 19, 24 @ 10:38 am:
That’s funny @Amalia. I can just see the billboards now. “Got power?”
- Alton Sinkhole - Friday, Jul 19, 24 @ 10:41 am:
==dude having a bad head cold==
You can’t seriously think that’s all that’s going on, right?
- JS Mill - Friday, Jul 19, 24 @ 10:45 am:
And the winner for today’s first whataboutism goes to…
=You can’t seriously think that’s all that’s going on, right?=
- City Zen - Friday, Jul 19, 24 @ 11:10 am:
==Illinois should offer free one way bus tickets to Texas, to any convicted sex offender==
Illinois should equivocate migrants with sex offenders?
- TJ - Friday, Jul 19, 24 @ 12:02 pm:
== You can’t seriously think that’s all that’s going on, right? ==
I’ve watched Biden before and since. His debate performance was certainly bad, but very out of the ordinary for him when he otherwise usually just has his usual misspeaks and quick corrections.
And even if that wasn’t true, it’s certainly getting a world more press attention than anything Trump and co are saying. At worst, I’ll easily take a dude asleep at the wheel over someone that actively wants to destroy American democracy any day of the week.
- Grandson of Man - Friday, Jul 19, 24 @ 12:06 pm:
“There is a special place in hell for those who exploit the poor and vulnerable.”
For I was frightened, destitute and homeless, fleeing violence, and you used me to stir hatred and gain power.
If Republicans acted truly Christian, their voters would get rid of them before you can say “Jack Robinson.”
- Rich Miller - Friday, Jul 19, 24 @ 12:06 pm:
===I’ve watched Biden before and since===
This is from less than four years ago…
- TheInvisibleMan - Friday, Jul 19, 24 @ 12:14 pm:
“If Republicans acted truly Christian”
They are.
In the last round of this, Catholic Charities was helping Texas with the bussing.
Religion has done a wonderful job convincing people that all of its facets are good, despite the centuries of history clearly showing otherwise.
- TheInvisibleMan - Friday, Jul 19, 24 @ 12:16 pm:
“Illinois should equivocate migrants with sex offenders?
Nope, and in fact the exact opposite of equivocation was explicitly spelled out in the comment you selectively copied from.
If that’s what you took from it, those are your thoughts. Not cool man.
- Amalia - Friday, Jul 19, 24 @ 12:45 pm:
good poin @TheInvisibleMan Contact Catholic Charities now, Illinois government officials and tell them to stop messing up.
- Bigtwich - Friday, Jul 19, 24 @ 2:28 pm:
“free one way bus tickets to Texas, to any convicted sex offender US citizen”
There could be another option. Back in the 80s in an Illinois State’s Attorneys office there was a defendant picked up on some small charge. In interviewing him he said he was on probation in ( I think ) Tennessee. When asked the terms of his probation he said that it was he stay out of Tennessee. Had to call to verify this. They said they called it running probation.
- OneMan - Friday, Jul 19, 24 @ 3:04 pm:
We could send Rod down there, offer him cash, and even help finance his run for statewide office in Texas.