Democrat Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker is pleading with Republican Texas Gov. Greg Abbott not to send busloads of migrants to Chicago while the Midwest is being hit by a powerful winter storm.
Chicago is among the many Democrat-run cities that have declared themselves sanctuaries for illegal immigrants, and Abbott has sent thousands to Chicago and other sanctuary cities by bus and airplane to relieve the strain on his state caused by immigration at the U.S. southern border.
"While action is pending at the federal level, I plead with you for mercy for the thousands of people who are powerless to speak for themselves," Pritzker wrote in a letter to Abbott, the Chicago Sun Times reported Friday. "Please, while winter is threatening vulnerable people's lives, suspend your transports and do not send more people to our state."
Chicago's Office of Emergency Management and Communications said the city has received an estimated 34,562 migrants since the dropoffs began, the Sun Times reported, including 4,468 who arrived on daily flights to O'Hare and Midway international airports since June.
The city said a bus was expected to be dropped off in the Chicagoland area Friday, the Sun Times reported, and there are also 408 migrants awaiting placement — with 14,574 in 28 active shelters.
Temperatures are expected to plunge this weekend with the arrival of several inches of snow in Chicago.
"Your callousness, sending buses and planes full of migrants in this weather, is now life-threatening to every one of the arrivals," Pritzker wrote. "Hundreds of children's and families' health and survival are at risk due to your actions."
Because of the pending cold weather, Chicago is delaying the enforcement of a 60-day shelter stay limit for migrants who are approaching the deadline at least until Jan. 22, if not longer, WBBM-TV reported.
"Gov. Pritzker was all too proud to call Illinois 'the most welcoming state in the nation' until Gov. Abbott began transporting migrants to Chicago," Andrew Mahaleris, a spokesperson for Abbott's office, said in an email to Newsmax. "Gov. 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, Gov. Pritzker should call on his party leader to finally do his job and secure the border — something he continues refusing to do. Until President [Joe] 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.”
Abbott's office said bus drivers receive updated weather conditions along their routes to sanctuary cities and take additional precautions when necessary to ensure the safety of passengers.
In October, Pritzker reportedly sent a letter to Biden about the "untenable" influx of asylum-seekers in the state, adding the problem is "overwhelming" the state's ability to provide aid to them. He argued the aid provided by Illinois has not been matched by the federal government.
Michael Katz ✉
Michael Katz is a Newsmax reporter with more than 30 years of experience reporting and editing on news, culture, and politics.
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