Migrant Crisis Overwhelms US Cities
US Migrant Crisis 2023
Migrants arriving in the United States have overwhelmed cities across the country, including Chicago, New York, and El Paso. In Chicago, Alderman Raymond Lopez has said the city has received more than 13,000 asylum-seekers since August 2022, and that “every week, the city of Chicago sees new arrivals by bus or by plane.”
In New York City, Mayor Eric Adams has said the influx of migrants is “destroying” his city. He has blamed a lack of federal aid and Republican governors in Texas and Florida for sending asylum-seekers to Northern states.
In El Paso, Texas, the city is entering its “fourth wave” of migrant surges since 2018. The city has received more than 1,800 migrants a day crossing the border in the past week.
The Biden administration has said it is taking steps to address the migrant crisis, including sending 800 active-duty military personnel to the border and granting Temporary Protected Status to Venezuelans in the U.S. However, some city officials say the administration is not doing enough.
Mexico to Set Up Checkpoints to Reduce Migrant Flow
On Friday, Mexican officials pledged to set up checkpoints to reduce the number of migrants hopping freight trains from its northern cities to the US border.
El Paso Official Says City is Working to Address Crisis
Acosta-Cruz, the El Paso city official, said the city is working to address the migrant crisis in a humane way. She said the city and El Paso County receive Federal Emergency Management Agency funding and work collaboratively with nonprofits, churches, and other local businesses to handle matters.
Chicago Alderman Says City is Not Doing Enough for Homeless Residents
In Chicago, Alderman Lopez has said the city is not doing enough for its homeless residents while it is helping migrants. He has said that Chicago residents are asking “What are we doing for our Chicago residents as we are doing for our new arrivals?” “‘What about us?'”
The migrant crisis is a complex issue with no easy solutions. It is important to remember that the migrants are fleeing poverty and violence in their home countries, and they are seeking a better life in the United States. We need to work together to find humane and effective ways to address the crisis.
