Chicago Mayor issues emergency declaration in response to migrant influx

Chicago has issued an emergency declaration in response to the migrant inflow exceeding the third largest US city's ability to manage.

In an emergency executive order issued Tuesday, Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot said she reserves the authority to request the Governor of Illinois to mobilise the National Guard to provide staffing and logistical support to address the emergency in the city, reports Xinhua news agency.

The city also calls on federal and state governments to support with much-needed additional funding and resources for emergency shelter and resettlement.

Beginning on August 31, 2022, Chicago began to receive buses sent by the state of Texas, transporting individuals and families from Central and South America seeking asylum in the US.

And since that time, asylum seekers have continued to flow into Chicago by various means, including on airplanes, by bus and on foot, Lightfoot said.

Because of a shortage of available space, existing facilities are full, newly created facilities are full, and hundreds of migrants are now temporarily sheltering in police stations, according to the Mayor.

Chicago has learned that the flood of migrants into the city will not only continue unabated but will increase. With the city's resources now stretched to the breaking point, extraordinary measures are necessary, she added.

Since August 2022, Chicago has received over 8,000 migrants bused by Texas Governor Greg Abbott, with 48 new arrivals on Tuesday.

--IANS

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