
Texas Republican Governor Greg Abbott has been the target of much criticism from Democrats around the country for how he has handled the migrant crisis at the southern border.
Front and center of those criticisms is the fact that Abbott has buses migrants who enter into Texas to Democrat-led regions of the country — especially those that consider themselves to be “sanctuary cities.”
This week, one Democrat took those criticisms to the next level.
Democratic Governor J.B. Pritzker of Illinois sent Abbott a direct letter, pleading with him to stop sending migrants to Chicago, as the city has become overrun and is having trouble dealing with them.
In addition to sending the letter, Pritzker took out an ad in the Austin American-Statesman that reiterated what he wrote in the letter. The Illinois governor said Abbott was “callous,” and he also accused him of putting immigrants’ lives at risk.
The Chicago Sun-Times reported that Pritzker wrote to Abbott:
“You are now sending asylum seekers from Texas to the Upper Midwest in the middle of winter — many without coats, without shoes to protect them from the snow. 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.”
He then pleaded with Abbott to stop sending the migrants, while also lashing out at him at the same time. Pritzker wrote:
“Please, while winter is threatening vulnerable people’s lives, suspend your transports and do not send more people to our state. Your callousness, sending buses and planes full of migrants in this weather, is now life-threatening to every one of the arrivals.
“Hundreds of children’s and families’ health and survival are at risk due to your actions.”
He also accused Abbott of not having any interest in “working on bipartisan solutions to the border crisis,” as he said it would “put an end to [his] cruel political game.”
Abbott was not swayed at all by Pritzker’s letter — not surprisingly at all. He responded only by saying that the illegal immigrants that he has sent up to Chicago first signed a consent waiver before that said they wanted to go there.
He further mocked the Illinois governor for once proudly declaring that his state was a welcome place for illegal immigrants.
As Andrew Mahaleris, a spokesman for Abbott’s office, said:
“Governor Pritzker was all too proud to call Illinois ‘the most welcoming state in the nation’ until Governor Abbott began transporting migrants to Chicago. …
“Instead of complaining about migrants sent from Texas, where we are also preparing to experience severe winter weather across the state, Governor Pritzker should call on his party leader to finally do his job and secure the border — something he continues refusing to do.
“Until President 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.”
Since Texas started sending migrants to other regions of the country, Chicago has received about 35,000 illegal migrants. About 4,500 of those arrived via plane.
The city has noted that roughly 14,500 migrants are living in 28 shelters across Chicago.