Pritzker Asks Feds for Help with Migrant Crisis
Governor JB Pritzker and President Joe Biden in 2021.
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In the latest volley for responsibility of thousands of asylum-seeking migrants being bussed to Chicago, Governor JB Pritzker asked the White House Monday for help.
The letter, dated Monday (and sent to The Illinoize from an outside source because the Governor’s office did not respond to our inquiry, as usual), claimed Illinois has so far seen 15,000 migrants come to the state from the southern border already.
“Most critically, the federal government's lack of intervention and coordination at the border has created an untenable situation for Illinois,” Pritzker wrote.
The Pritzker administration has repeatedly claimed it has spent over $300 million in aid for migrants, most of whom have been bussed to the state from Texas.
Pritzker’s missive is the latest in growing conflict between Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson and his progressive allies, Pritzker, and now, the federal government for care of migrants. It comes as more bussing is expected this week.
Pritzker asked the President to appoint one person to navigate the federal response to the migrant crisis.
“As just one state in our union, we cannot lead coordination efforts at the border. It is time for the federal government to take a much more active role in managing the transport and destination of the transport of asylum seekers,” Pritzker wrote.
We’re told the vast majority of the migrants who have been shipped to Illinois are in the country legally, mostly seeking asylum from their home countries and have not entered the country illegally.
It isn’t yet clear where the aid for migrants is being paid for out of the state budget and what potential impact it could have on an already tight Fiscal Year 2024 budget.