Lightfoot demands federal government step in to help as more migrants arrive in Chicago

CHICAGO - Chicago city leaders are confirming the arrival of additional asylum seekers from Texas. The group of 12 arrived Wednesday at O’Hare Airport.

Now, Mayor Lori Lightfoot is demanding the federal government step in as more Republican governors make good on promises to ship migrants out of their states.

Two buses from Texas carrying dozens of migrants arrived Thursday morning near Vice President Kamala Harris' home in Washington D.C., most of them from Venezuela. It's the latest effort by Texas Governor Greg Abbott who has sent thousands of migrants to Democratic-led cities like DC, New York and Chicago, arguing his state is overwhelmed with southern border crossings.

Border patrol officials say they've encountered more than 2-million migrants this year at the border.

"It's open because we enter, we come in, free, no problem," one migrant said.

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In Massachusetts, two planes with illegal immigrants landed at Martha’s Vineyard, courtesy of Florida Governor Ron DeSantis.

"We are not a sanctuary state, and it's better to be able to go to a sanctuary jurisdiction, and yes, we will help facilitate that transport for you, to be able to go to greener pastures," DeSantis said.

Massachusetts' Republican governor said local officials provided them with short-term shelter services.

Democratic leaders are outraged, calling the moves inhumane and demanding the federal government step in to help.

"It is a manufactured crisis by ambush," Mayor Lightfoot said. "Any dollar that goes to the state of Texas or the state of Arizona, every single one of those dollars needs to be recommitted to cities like Chicago, New York and Washington, D.C."

Governor Abbott says the buses will keep rolling out of Texas, adding he's trying to bring some relief to his state's overrun border towns.