More migrants are expected to arrive in Chicago this week as border security becomes one of the issues dividing Democrats and Republicans ahead of the November election.
Gov. J.B. Pritzker is critical of Texas Gov. Greg Abbott and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis for sending migrants to sanctuary cities, but Pritzker had to be asked twice Monday if the border is secure.
"The Republican governor of Florida and Texas and Arizona … they’re trying to sow chaos," Pritzker said. "We’re trying to truly care for people who need their human rights upheld."
When asked a second time, "and are the borders secure?", Pritzker said, "In my opinion, we need to have comprehensive immigration reform, and we need to make sure that we are securing the border in every way that we can. I don’t live in Texas, but I know that people are concerned about the number of people who are coming to the border, and again we’ve got to address that."
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Twenty-six more migrants arrived Sunday in Chicago.
"It is pathetic that these governors are taking advantage of these helpless people," said Sen. Dick Durbin.
Darren Bailey, Republican candidate for governor, was asked what he would do if he were Illinois governor and busloads of migrants arrived here.
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Bailey responded that he would ask "J.B. Pritzker to talk to Joe Biden and secure our border, because if we have secure borders we don’t have this problem."
The migrants who were recently dropped off at a suburban Chicago hotel in Burr Ridge have been moved to a different, non-disclosed location.
Pritzker said the process for the asylum seekers to go before a judge is taking too long.
"They’re exhausted, bewildered by all they’re faced with," Pritzker said, "having made multiple months journeys to come to the United States, being shipped all across the U.S."
Bailey says, "as far as J.B. Pritzker is concerned, I’m suggesting that he put these people up in one of his Hyatt hotels."
It’s estimated that 8,000 migrants a day are crossing into the United States.
