AUSTIN, Texas — The Chicago City Council has taken action against buses transporting migrants to the Windy City, so Gov. Greg Abbott of Texas sent a plane with more than 120 people from the US-Mexico border to Chicago earlier this week.
On Tuesday, the first flight departed from El Paso and arrived in Chicago carrying the immigrants who reportedly chose the location as their destination of choice. The flight was arranged a week after the Chicago City Council took new action over the busloads of migrants that have drawn sharp criticism from Mayor Brandon Johnson, the New York Post reported.
As the border crisis has exploded under the Biden Administration, and Texas border towns have been overwhelmed with people who’ve entered the country illegally, Gov. Abbott’s busing operation has given more than 80,000 migrants free rides to Democratic-led cities across the country since last year.
However, the City of Chicago implemented penalties related to the busing operation, which includes fines, towing or impoundment for failing to unload new arrivals at a designated location or failing to complete city paperwork, according to the New York Post.
Therefore, a quick pivot took place and the first flight left Texas transporting migrants to Chicago earlier this week.
Abbott spokesman Andrew Mahaleris said Wednesday that the flights were the result of Johnson “targeting migrant buses” from Texas.
“Until President Biden steps up and does his job to secure the border, Texas will continue taking historic action to help our local partners respond to this Biden-made crisis,” Mahaleris said.
Meanwhile, in another move on Monday, Gov. Abbott signed an unprecedented new law, which gives law enforcement officers in Texas the authority to arrest migrants who cross the border illegally, Law Officer reported.
Lt. Chris Olivarez with the Texas Department of Public Safety said more than 4,000 migrants were taken into custody on Monday under the new statute that Gov. Abbott said is intended to “stop the tidal wave of illegal entry into Texas.”
Once in custody, migrants can either agree to a judge’s order to leave the U.S. or be prosecuted on misdemeanor charges of illegal entry. Non-compliant offenders could face arrest again under more serious felony charges.
Lt. Olivarez said Gov. Abbott is taking the “fight to the federal government” and standing up for residents and law enforcement with a “historic action.”
“This is not your ordinary border situation. I think we moved beyond chaos and now this situation has gotten much worse. This is deliberate inaction by the federal government to secure our border,” he added.
