Lightfoot declares emergency amid new surge of immigrants bused to Chicago

Mayor Lori Lightfoot on Tuesday issued an emergency declaration as the city tries to deal with a surge of new arrivals of immigrants in recent weeks.

The migrants, asylum-seekers and others, including many families, include another 48 people who arrived on Tuesday after they were, according to Lightfoot, inhumanely sent to the city by bus by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott.

Though Chicago is committed to welcoming new arrivals, “we've reached a breaking point,” Lightfoot said at an afternoon news conference, adding that the crisis was “manufactured” by Abbott “for cynical political purposes.”

Busing migrants to cities, including Chicago, where they have no relatives or sponsors, is the wrong approach, Lightfoot said.

“I stand ready to work on solutions,” she said. “Until then, the city will continue to live our values, doing the best we can under these circumstances.”

All told, the city, with help from Cook County and the state of Illinois, has provided emergency care for over 8,000 new arrivals since last August, according to the mayor's office. To handle the recent surge, the city has relied on various departments as well as community-based organizations to provide temporary shelters and respite centers.

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