Nonprofit helping dozens of migrants sent to Chicago by Texas Governor Greg Abbott – NBC Chicago

A bus carrying dozens of migrants arrived in Chicago on Wednesday night as part of Texas Governor Greg Abbott’s controversial program designed to send asylum seekers to northern “sanctuary cities.”

Abbott’s office announced that the group, made up of about 75 migrants from Venezuela, had been dropped off at Union Station, saying Chicago would join Washington, D.C. and New York as the location of his administration’s “drop-off policy.” .

Mayor Lori Lightfoot welcomed the migrants, but also took the opportunity to call Abbott’s immigration “racist and xenophobic”.

“This is a cheap political point. It’s not about sharing the load,” she said. “To Greg Abbott and his enablers in Texas: with these continued political stunts, (he) confirmed what many of us already knew: he is a man without any morals, humanity or shame.”

The Illinois Venezuelan Alliance, an organization co-founded by Angelina Rodriguez and Dr. Ana Gil Garcia, has been working tirelessly to help the group get established.

“We’re going to bring food and have a welcome kit, and make sure they know where to go, what to do,” Garcia said.

Under Chicago’s “Welcoming City Ordinance,” officials will not ask about immigration status, nor will they release such information to federal authorities. Services will not be denied based on immigration status, according to a document released by the city.

Lightfoot stressed Thursday that the city welcomes migrants with respect and is working to provide resources. However, she criticized the Texas governor for sending the group to Chicago without offering assistance or coordination.

“The governor’s actions are not only inhumane, they are…that can’t be who we are as Americans,” she said. “We have to stand for a different and better set of principles.”

Immediate efforts include finding shelter for the group and providing medical care to those in need.

“They provide food, clothing, diapers, whatever they need,” Garcia said.

Lightfoot said the city has not budgeted for the arrival of migrants and is relying on partners to help bridge the gap and is committed to leaving no humans behind.

“We are very grateful to the City of Chicago for being very proactive in receiving our people,” Rodriguez said.