Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker became the latest state leader to beseech the White House for help in choosing to be a sanctuary city, telling President Joe Biden in a letter that the state is in an "untenable situation" after the arrival of more than 15,000 illegal migrants over the past 13 months — and more on the way.
"Today, Illinois stands mostly unsupported against this enormous strain on our state resources," Pritzker wrote in the three-page letter.
The letter follows a call that Pritzker and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson had with the White House on Sunday night, during which the Chicago pols said they expected another 1,250 migrants per day this week from Texas, according to the Chicago Sun-Times.
In Monday's letter, Pritzker accused border state governors and mayors of shipping illegals "in a dehumanizing attempt to score political points." He didn't name any, but in one case, he didn't have to — Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has announced his plans to bus more migrants to Chicago and other cities.
"As the numbers being transported to Chicago are accelerating, the humanitarian crisis is overwhelming our ability to provide aid to the refugee population," Pritzker wrote to Biden. "Unfortunately, the welcome and aid Illinois has been providing to these asylum seekers has not been matched with support by the federal government. Most critically, the federal government's lack of intervention and coordination at the border has created an untenable situation for Illinois."
Pritzker wrote that Illinois has spent over $330 million to date, with Chicago officials saying last week that number will reach $345 million by the end of the year.
Among other requests, Pritzker asked Biden to put one person in charge of "oversight of our nation's efforts at the border," highlighting the pitfalls of a bureaucratic federal effort.
"Right now, we have too many different federal department contacts — who are uncoordinated with one another — that handle various programs related to this humanitarian crisis," Pritzker wrote. "A single office with an identified leader must be assigned to work for the cities and states across the silos of government to manger the challenges we all face."
The White House offered to set up regular communications with Illinois and last week sent Department of Homeland Security staffers to help with temporary protected status applications, the Sun-Times reported.
More than 15,000 migrants have landed in Chicago since August 2022 after the arrival of 27 buses from the southern border last week. Roughly 9,200 of those came from Texas, according to Abbott.
Last week, Johnson boasted of the city's "sanctuary" status.
"We are a sanctuary state. We are a sanctuary county, a sanctuary city," Johnson said. "You know, this is a dynamic that we're all working to solve."
But sanctuary doesn't come cheap.
"Mr. President, I urge you, [Homeland Security] Secretary [Alejandro] Mayorkas, and the rest of your administration to take swift action and intervene on our behalf and on behalf of the other affected states and their residents, as well as on behalf of the tens of thousands of asylum seekers who undertook a dangerous and difficult journey in hopes of attaining public safety and forging a better life for themselves and their families," Pritzker ended his letter.
Mark Swanson ✉
Mark Swanson, a Newsmax writer and editor, has nearly three decades of experience covering news, culture and politics.
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