The Governor of Illinois publicly appealed to Texas Governor Greg Abbott to stop sending busses of illegal immigrants to his state.
In a new full-page ad in the Austin American-Statesman, Governor J.B. Pritzker positioned himself as the humanitarian alternative to the Republican official.
“I plead with you for mercy for the thousands of people who are powerless to speak for themselves,” wrote Pritzker. “Please, while winter is threatening vulnerable people’s lives, suspend your transports and do not send more people to our state. We are asking you to help prevent additional deaths.” Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker took out a full-page newspaper ad, calling on Greg Abbott to stop sending migrants to Chicago due to the frigid temperatures.
"Your callousness … is now life-threatening to every one of the arrivals." https://t.co/EGfg0Q6fDY pic.twitter.com/3xYyPf1FzT
— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) January 15, 2024
The Democrat also sent Abbott a letter on Jan. 12 declaring that the “ongoing international migration crisis” requires “a strong, compassionate, and humane response.” Pritzker accused Abbott of sewing “chaos in an attempt to score political points.”
“You are now sending asylum seekers from Texas to the Upper Midwest in the middle of winter – many without coats, without shoes to protect them from the snow — to a city whose shelters are already overfilled with migrants you sent here,” he wrote. “We refuse to play your political games of exploiting the most vulnerable for the sake of culture wars and talking points. You seem to have no interest in working on bipartisan solutions to the border crisis because that would put an end to your cruel political game.”
“There is much more that needs to be done by the federal government to provide aid to asylum seekers and to secure the border,” Pritzker added. “I understand the border crisis is untenable for border states. Illinois, and all other states, especially Texas, ought to lobby Congress immediately to vote for bipartisan immigration reform.”
In his response, Abbott pointed out that Pritzker had previously taken steps in 2019 and 2021 to protect illegal immigrants in Illinois.
“Governor Pritzker was all too proud to call Illinois 'the most welcoming state in the nation' until Governor Abbott began transporting migrants to Chicago," Andrew Mahaleris, a spokesman for the Texas Governor, told the American-Statesman. "Instead of complaining about migrants sent from Texas, where we are also preparing to experience severe winter weather across the state, Governor Pritzker should call on his party leader to finally do his job and secure the border — something he continues refusing to do.”
"Until President Biden steps up and does his job to secure the border, Texas will continue transporting migrants to sanctuary cities to help our local partners respond to this Biden-made crisis,” he added.
Pritzker and Abbott’s exchange followed the news that the Texas National Guard had seized control of Shelby Park in Eagle Pass along the U.S.-Mexico Border.
