Downstate communities may see migrants bussed from Texas
Migrants wait to be processed by the Border Patrol after illegally crossing the Rio Grande river from Mexico into the U.S. at Eagle Pass, Texas, Friday, Aug. 26, 2022. The area has become entangled in a turf war between the Biden administration and Texas Gov. Greg Abbott over how to police the U.S. border with Mexico. AP Photo/Eric Gay
On August 31, 2022, the first bus full of migrants coming from Texas made its way to its destination of downtown Chicago. About 60 migrants originating from Venezuela got off the bus, before being taken to shelters across the city. Since then, more than a thousand other migrants have been bussed from Texas to Chicago. Texas Governor Greg Abbott has been sending the migrants to so-called “sanctuary cities,” and besides Chicago, Washington D.C. and New York City have also become notable destinations. In Illinois, as more migrants continue to arrive, it’s prompting organizations and communities downstate to prepare to help however they can.
Guests:
Laura Mendoza
Immigration Organizer, The Resurrection Project
Jessica DeVries
Director of Programs, University YMCA’s New American Welcome Center
Ricardo Diaz
C-U Immigration Forum