With preparations for next week’s Democratic National Convention complete, several unanswered questions remain, including whether the influx of migrants will coincide with the arrival of delegates in Chicago, US media reported.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott has previously promised to flood sanctuary cities during the DNC, but the extent of his plan remains unclear.
FOX 32 Chicago has learnt that city officials, who recently expected several thousand migrants to arrive next week, are no longer counting on a significant number of them. However, that doesn’t mean they aren’t preparing for it.
Authorities are ready for an influx of migrants
City officials say they will be ready should the number of asylum seekers heading to Chicago during the DNC increase.
The city’s migrant shelters currently have more than 5,000 empty beds, but only time will tell if and when they will be filled. A city spokesperson told FOX 32 Chicago that they have a strategic plan in place to “prepare for any sudden increase” in newcomers.
The full statement reads:
“The City remains committed to welcoming asylum seekers with dignity and compassion. Working in partnership with Cook County and the State of Illinois, the City of Chicago has developed a strategic plan to prepare for any sudden increases in new arrivals in the lead-up to the Democratic National Convention. As part of that strategic plan, the City is maintaining sufficient bed capacity in our existing temporary shelters and preparing sites in the event that new temporary emergency shelters need to be activated on short notice.”
City officials previously said they have applied for additional funds from FEMA to help cover costs in the event of a possible influx of migrants.
FOX 32 Chicago TV contacted Governor Abbott’s office to inquire about his plans for next week, but there was no response. Numerous temporary shelters in the city have been closed over the past few months. Still, about 5,500 migrants live in 17 city shelters.
Chicago at the centre of an immigration war
Republican governors have promised to flood sanctuary cities like Chicago with asylum seekers to embarrass Democrats and overwhelm city resources. City officials expected an influx of up to 25,000 migrants in the run-up to the convention. So far, those numbers have not materialised, and no busloads of migrants have arrived in Chicago for months.
The last bus dropping off migrants in Chicago arrived on Christmas Day, and the last bus dropping off migrants in the Chicago area arrived on June 17, according to the city’s Office of Emergency Management and Communications.
The decrease in new arrivals is believed to be due to a federal order. Although the order is being challenged in court, US Customs and Border Protection reports that arrivals at ports on the southwest border fell 29 per cent from May to June.
