Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker is telling President Joe Biden the numbers of migrants arriving to Chicago from the southern U.S. border are accelerating. The situation is overwhelming, untenable and uncoordinated, he added.
In a letter Pritzker sent the White House Monday, the governor says “the humanitarian crisis is overwhelming our ability to provide aid to the refugee population.” More than 15,000 migrants have arrived in Chicago in the past 13 months.
With the letter, Pritzker joined a growing list of Democrats calling on the White House to do more.
“Unfortunately, the welcome and aid Illinois has been providing to these asylum seekers has not been matched with support by the federal government,” the letter first reported by Capitol Fax said. “Most critically, the federal government's lack of intervention and coordination at the border has created an untenable situation for Illinois.”
Illinois taxpayers have covered more than $330 million on services for the migrants, a number Pritzker said is growing each day.
“That’s a massive amount of money for a state still overcoming the health and economic effects of COVID-19,” Pritzker said. “Add to that the over $100 million the city of Chicago contributed.”
