Texas Expands Busing Plan, Sends Planeload of Migrants to Chicago

Texas Governor Greg Abbott's policy of transporting recently arrived migrants to Democratic-led cities he considers sanctuaries has expanded to include flights, with over 120 immigrants flown from El Paso to Chicago. Since April 2022, Texas has bused over 80,000 people to cities such as Washington, D.C., New York City, and Los Angeles. Chicago officials have cracked down on some bus drivers for violating municipal rules. Abbott's spokesperson criticized Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson for not upholding the city's "Welcoming City" ordinance. The migrants willingly accept Texas-sponsored transportation and sign consent waivers. In the federal fiscal year 2023, there were 2 million encounters at the Southern border, a 7% decrease from the previous year. Abbott recently signed a law authorizing police to arrest people suspected of illegally crossing the Texas-Mexico border.