Sanctuary cities face the consequences of their openness.
Texas, facing a migration crisis, has adopted a new approach to transport migrants into Chicago, utilizing flights instead of buses, as Mayor Brandon Johnson and the city council impose stringent rules on buses carrying migrants into the self-proclaimed “sanctuary city.” Although Mayor Johnson asserts a commitment to maintaining Chicago’s “welcoming” status for migrants, recent actions contradict this sentiment, with the implementation of rules restricting the number of buses, hours of operation, and prohibiting weekend drop-offs of homeless migrants. Violations could lead to the arrest of drivers and impounding of buses.
In response, Texas Governor Greg Abbott, a Republican, has redirected efforts to transport migrants via planes through Chicago’s airports, criticizing Mayor Johnson for failing to uphold the city’s “Welcoming City” ordinance. The first flight carrying 120 migrants arrived at Chicago O’Hare International Airport. This development comes amid a broader context of the Biden administration’s handling of a significant surge in border crossings, with an estimated 4.6 million migrants entering the U.S. annually since President Joe Biden assumed office. Tensions escalate as Mayor Johnson’s administration grapples with criticism following the death of a five-year-old boy in a city migrant shelter on December 17, leading to blame directed at Governor Abbott for transporting migrants from Texas to Chicago.
