Let’s stipulate that Texas, in particular, has been getting little or no help with a massive influx of migrants from South and Central America through Mexico, and that the problem is huge. Let’s also stipulate that Gov. Abbott is a pluperfect shithead: he’s using the crisis as a political hammer against localities that are “sanctuary” locations. He’d be doing this even if the federal government were doing its job by providing massive help to Texas – and other states – for the immigration problem.
But let’s look at the result of Abbott’s ploy. Chicago has thousands of migrants it did not expect to have, migrants who are about to experience a Chicago winter without places to live, proper clothing, and other essential things.
Again, the feds are avoiding the problem because the Dems don’t want to appear to be “soft” on immigration by being humane and providing fodder for MAGA fools who will use being humane (something they are not) to show up the Dems. Not that they have an immigration plan. They have no such thing. They’re not smart enough.
By the way: Chicago has absorbed over 30,000 Ukrainian immigrants without controversy over the last 18 months. They haven’t been forced to live in tents outside police stations. Neighborhoods have welcomed them without nasty bitching. But those 19,000 “brown” folk? Not in our neighborhoods. Nobody is saying about the Ukrainian arrivals, “Yeah but what have you done for ME lately?” But I digress.
It’s clear that the Mayor and city administration need to suck it up and use multiple empty indoor spaces that can be opened at least for the winter.
The Mayor should be shouting to the rooftops to the State of Illinois and the federal government to supply funding for the housing. clothing and feeding of these folks until they can be on their own feet.
The city Health Department should be scrounging for a whole panoply of immunizations – especially Flu, RSV and COVID; but also Tdap, tetanus, shingles, MMR, PCV15/PPSV23 or PCV20 (pneumonia) for those who are without them. We don’t need a hothouse of disease to arise.
At least here I don’t want to get into the cynicism of the right wing on immigration. They’re totally irresponsible, yes. But that’s for another time and place.