Schakowsky Statement on Influx of Migrants Arriving in Chicago

EVANSTON – Today, U.S. Representative Jan Schakowsky (IL-09), a Chief Deputy Whip and the Ranking Member of the Innovation, Data, and Commerce Subcommittee of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, released the following statement on the influx of migrants arriving in Chicago:

“Texas Governor Greg Abbott’s dehumanizing political stunt of sending up to 25 buses of migrants to Chicago each day is not a solution to the immigration crisis. We need comprehensive immigration reform. To force migrants to board these busses, often without knowledge of where they are going or an adequate food and water supply, is cruel and demeaning. Illinois prides itself on being a welcoming state, in a nation built by immigrants, but we need more resources to ensure these migrants get the housing, food, and shelter they so desperately need.

“The migrants I have spoken with are in search of one thing; a job so they can provide for their families. We must issue expedited work permits to both new arrivals and undocumented immigrants. Not only would this address the ongoing labor shortage that employers are facing, but it would also create a pathway to financial independence for so many.

“I will continue to work with my colleagues at the federal, state, and local levels to support newly arrived migrants and the larger undocumented community.”

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