Ill. Gov. Pritzker, Chicago Mayor Johnson confront White House over migrant crisis

TENSIONS ARE RISING –

BETWEEN TOP DEMOCRATS IN ILLINOIS AND THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION –

OVER THE STATE’S MIGRANT CRISIS.

ILLINOIS’ DEMOCRATIC GOVERNOR J-B PRITZKER WROTE A LETTER TO PRESIDENT BIDEN – CRITICIZING THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT’S RESPONSE TO THE MIGRANT CRISIS SAYING “THIS IS AN UNTENABLE SITUATION THAT HAS BEEN EXACERBATED BY A LACK OF FEDERAL ACTION…”

PRITZKER SAYS HIS STATE HAS RECEIVED MORE THAN 15-THOUSAND MIGRANTS SEEKING ASYLUM – MOSTLY in THE CHICAGO AREA – SINCE AUGUST 2022.

THE CITY OF CHICAGO IS HOUSING THOUSANDS OF MIGRANTS AT 23 SHELTERS… POLICE STATIONS AND PARKS – ALONG WITH MIDWAY AND O’HARE INTERNATIONAL AIRPORTS – WHERE THEY’RE SLEEPING ON THE FLOOR AND SHARING PUBLIC RESTROOMS.

AND NOW – OFFICIALS WITH THE CITY OF CHICAGO SAY – THEY’RE RUNNING OUT OF ROOM AND RESOURCES TO HOUSE AND FEED THE MIGRANTS.

PRITZKER – IS DEMANDING A COORDINATED RESPONSE BY THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION AT THE U-S SOUTHERN BORDER…

WRITING “THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT MUST STOP ABDICATING RESPONSIBILITY ONCE C-B-P RELEASES MIGRANTS INTO THE INTERIOR OF THE COUNTRY.”

HE’S CALLING ON THE WHITE HOUSE TO TAKE SWIFT ACTION BY….

FIRST – DESIGNATING ONE CONTACT IN THE WHITE HOUSE – WHO CAN “LEAD THE OVERSIGHT OF OUR NATION’S EFFORTS AT THE BORDER.”

FOURTH – PROVIDING FINANCIAL SUPPORT TO STATES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS

FIFTH – ACCELERATING THE TIMELINE FOR EMPLOYMENT AUTHORIZATION

AND FINALLY, BY – APPROVING ILLINOIS’ REQUESTS FOR MEDICAID WAIVERS AND HOUSING VOUCHERS.

ACCORDING TO WHITE HOUSE OFFICIALS – CHICAGO’S MAYOR -BRANDON JOHNSON- ALONG WITH GOVERNOR PRITZKER – SPOKE WITH TOP AIDES TO PRESIDENT BIDEN OVER THE WEEKEND – PLEADING FOR FEDERAL HELP. 

LAST WEEK – THE U-S DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY ANNOUNCED MORE THAN $12-MILLION DOLLARS IN GRANTS THROUGH FEMA – TO HELP SUPPORT COMMUNITIES PROVIDING SERVICES TO MIGRANTS. HOWEVER – THE MONEY IS NOT ENOUGH TO HELP CITIES OVERWHELMED WITH TENS OF THOUSANDS OF MIGRANTS.

THE WHITE HOUSE ALSO OFFERED TEMPORARY PROTECTED STATUS TO VENEZUELAN MIGRANTS WHO ARRIVED IN THE U.S. BY JULY 31ST OF THIS YEAR.

THE NEWS WAS WELCOMED BY NEW YORK DEMOCRATIC GOVERNOR KATHY HOCHUL WHO SAYS THE COUNTRY IS DEALING WITH A MIGRANT CRISIS SIMULTANEOUSLY WITH A WORKFORCE CRISIS.

“for months i’ve been saying the key to solving the asylum seeker crisis, it’s a crisis because of the volume of people, the key is so simple, so crystal clear. they came to work, so let’s put them to work!”

HOCHUL’S OFFICE ANNOUNCED MONDAY – NEARLY 4-HUNDRED EMPLOYERS ARE WILLING TO HIRE MIGRANTS WITH LEGAL WORK STATUS FOR 18-THOUSAND OPEN JOBS ACROSS NEW YORK STATE. WHETHER HOCHUL’S SOLUTION WORKS – IS YET TO BE SEEN.

MEANWHILE – CHICAGO CITY OFFICIALS INKED A $29 MILLION DOLLAR DEAL WITH A PRIVATE CONTRACTOR TO BUILD “MILITARY GRADE” TENT CITIES TO HOUSE MIGRANTS —  BUT IT’S UNCLEAR WHERE THOSE WILL BE BUILT OR IF THEY’LL BE COMPLETED BEFORE WINTER.