Migrant Buses Arrive in Chicago, Expanding Abbott’s Immigration-Surge Response

Since the Spring, states along the southern border such as Texas and Arizona have been transporting detained migrants by bus to northern, Democrat-run cities. This comes amidst a record-breaking surge of border crossing from Mexico, overwhelming border patrol agencies and straining communities along the border.

The operation has been spearheaded by Texas Governor Greg Abbott, who has verbally sparred with Democratic leadership in the cities where migrants are being dropped off, which as of now includes Washington D.C., New York City, and most recently, Chicago. Abbott has blamed the surge in border crossings on the Biden Administration’s border policies, which have been less stringent than former President Donald Trump’s. Democratic leaders such as New York City Mayor Eric Adams and Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot have condemned Governor Abbott’s actions, but affirmed their cities’ willingness to accept and support the arriving migrants.

At the moment, reports indicate that over 11,000 migrants have willingly been bused from the border to northern cities. The total cost of the controversial operation currently sits around $12 million for Texas alone.

Coverage from the right has focused more so on the situation at the southern border, often labeling it a ‘crisis,’ or invasion, which is seen less from the left, which has focused more on the political nature of the busing operation and the Democrat-led cities response to the arriving buses.