Chicago officials are continuing to grapple with an influx of migrants arriving in the city that began over eight months ago.
Migrants from Texas have arrived in Chicago consistently since the end of August 2022, with over 1,200 migrants arriving within the first month of Texas Gov. Greg Abbott's "Operation Lone Star".
After a decreased pace of arrivals to start 2023, a second influx has brought complications to city officials, with hundreds of migrants sleeping on the floor of police stations in Chicago.
Earlier this week, Mayor Lori Lightfoot penned a letter to Abbott, urging his administration to halt the controversial program that has now sent over 8,000 people from the Texas border to Chicago.
In the letter to Abbott, Lightfoot wrote Chicago is a welcoming city and explained it collaborated with local partners to address the challenge, but contended Abbott's "lack of consideration or coordination in an attempt to cause chaos and score political points has resulted in a critical tipping point in our ability to receive individuals and families in a safe, orderly, and dignified way."
The mayor continued on, urging the governor to "treat these individuals with the respect and dignity that they deserve," saying "to tell them to go to Chicago or to inhumanely bus them here is an inviable and misleading choice."
With the city anticipating the arrival of more migrants, Lightfoot is seeking additional resources and support from the federal government and insisted she'll call upon them to withhold FEMA funding if buses are once again sent to Chicago.
Local
Activists are currently pushing for more resources for the many migrants arriving in Chicago, hundreds of whom are in need of medical treatment, basic supplies and food as well as access to showers.
Additionally, residents in Chicago's South Shore are protesting the use of the former South Shore High School to house arriving migrants, demanding the school only be used for community purposes.
Feeling out of the loop? We'll catch you up on the Chicago news you need to know. Sign up for the weekly Chicago Catch-Up newsletter.
Residents have also taken aim at the local, federal and state governments involved for what is seen as poor preparation with knowledge of more arriving migrants.
With the vast majority of the migrants being Spanish-speaking, local residents have criticized the placement of the the temporary housing, saying that arriving migrants are not being put in the best position to acclimate to the U.S. and Chicago.
Nearby residents are planning a demonstration for Thursday afternoon. Those interested in donating to an organization supplying migrants with necessities can do so here.
