Chicago's ongoing migrant crisis intensified as Mayor Brandon Johnson issued another urgent call for federal assistance following the arrival of a plane from Texas with 355 migrants early Sunday morning. The aircraft touched down at approximately 1 a.m. at Chicago Rockford International Airport, where passengers were then immediately bussed to Chicago, escorted by Winnebago County sheriff's deputies. This incident marks a continuation of the tug-of-war between Chicago authorities and Texas Governor Greg Abbott over the handling of migrants seeking asylum.
According to a report by Fox32 Chicago, the plane, a private Boeing 777 from San Antonio facilitated by Eastern Airlines, landed in Rockford due to Chicago's new ordinance aiming to crack down on the transportation of migrants into the city. Allegedly, Governor Abbott sidestepped Chicago's stringent drop-off protocols by chartering eight buses to strategically drop off migrants in the suburbs, forcing them to find alternative ways to get quickly into the city proper.
City officials were tight-lipped about specifics of the flight, including the charter's originator and the exact location migrants were taken to, known only as the "landing zone". Rockford officials, according to a City of Chicago spokesperson, were informed on Saturday that the plane was en route, with a Chicago Sun-Times article stating that Abbott has adjusted his tactics by rerouting transportation to cities surrounding Chicago because of the new ordinances limiting the number of buses allowed to arrive at designated zones in specific hours.
Municipal leaders from Rockford and McHenry County have been preparing for the imminent arrival of more migrants, intending to facilitate their journey to Chicago. This comes after earlier instances in December when over a hundred migrants arrived on a chartered flight from El Paso. "While there is no advance notice as to when and where asylum-seekers may arrive," a McHenry County spokesperson told Chicago Sun-Times, "representatives and Emergency Management have been in regular communication with municipal mayors, managers, and law enforcement to discuss coordination of responses."
Mayor Johnson, in an appearance on "Meet the Press", reiterated the need for more help from the federal government and criticized Governor Abbott for not providing proper health screenings or vaccinations. "Now [Abbott] has taken on this very dangerous task of placing individuals on airplanes and flying them into our various cities," Johnson said. Denver Mayor Mike Johnston joined him in the call for additional support from the Biden administration following the tragic death of 5-year-old Jean Carlos Martinez Rivero at a Pilsen shelter. Johnson accused Abbott of adding to the chaos rather than offering adequate care for the migrants at the border.
With the migrant situation escalating, officials report that as of 8 a.m. Sunday, some 14,585 new arrivals are staying at 27 shelters across the city, with around 572 others awaiting placement. Mayor Johnson, alongside his counterparts from Denver and New York, has been vocal in demanding greater federal intervention as their cities continue to shoulder the burden of the influx, prompted by Abbott's response to the Biden administration's immigration policies.
