CHICAGO – Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker has issued a letter to Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, pleading for him to stop sending migrant buses and planes to the Chicago area as temperatures are expected to reach below zero during a winter storm.
In a public letter to reportedly be published as a full-page ad in the Austin American-Statesman, Pritzker said he and Abbott both desire federal immigration reform. He then accused Abbott of choosing to “sow chaos in an attempt to score political points,” NBC Chicago reported.
“You are now sending asylum seekers from Texas to the Upper Midwest in the middle of winter - many without coats, without shoes to protect them from the snow - to a city whose shelters are already overfilled with migrants you sent here,” Pritzker is quoted saying in the letter.
Pritzker asked Abbott to at least pause sending migrants to Chicago with the arctic temperatures coming to the area soon.
NBC Chicago reported that Pritzker concluded the letter by saying, “for mercy for the thousands of people who are powerless to speak for themselves,” adding that he hopes they can “at least agree on saving lives right now.”
KPRC 2 reached out to Abbott’s office. In a statement, his spokesperson said:
“Governor Pritzker was all too proud to call Illinois ‘the most welcoming state in the nation’ until Governor Abbott began transporting migrants to Chicago. Governor Abbott launched the border transportation mission in April 2022 to provide support to our overrun and overwhelmed border communities as the Biden Administration leaves thousands of migrants in Texas border towns. Instead of complaining about migrants sent from Texas, where we are also preparing to experience severe winter weather across the state, Governor Pritzker should call on his party leader to finally do his job and secure the border – something he continues refusing to do. Until President Biden steps up and does his job to secure the border, Texas will continue transporting migrants to sanctuary cities to help our local partners respond to this Biden-made crisis.” – Andrew Mahaleris, Spokesperson
Recent statistics from Abbott’s website report that Texas has sent over 30,800 migrants to Chicago since August 2022.
“Operation Lone Star continues to fill the dangerous gaps created by the Biden Administration’s refusal to secure the border,” Abbott’s website says. “Every individual who is apprehended or arrested and every ounce of drugs seized would have otherwise made their way into communities across Texas and the nation due to President Joe Biden’s open border policies.”
Since the launch of Operation Lone Star, Abbott says the multi-agency effort has led to over 495,400 illegal immigrant apprehensions.
Texas has also reportedly bused:
- Over 12,500 migrants to Washington, D.C. since April 2022
- Over 37,100 migrants to New York City since August 2022
- Over 3,400 migrants to Philadelphia since November 2022
- Over 15,700 migrants to Denver since May 18
- Over 1,500 migrants to Los Angeles since June 14