This browser does not support the Video element.
Migrant buses divert to Chicago suburbs amid city crackdown
Migrant buses arriving from Texas are diverting to suburban areas in response to a recent crackdown by the City of Chicago.
LOCKPORT, Ill. - Migrant buses arriving from Texas are diverting to suburban areas in response to a recent crackdown by the City of Chicago.
Lockport Police confirmed that at least one bus from El Paso discharged several dozen migrants at a Metra station in the southwest suburb on Thursday.
Then, officers transported the migrants to the city after coordinating with the Office of Emergency Management and Communications. They were provided with snacks and water for the ride.
Earlier this week, Texas arranged for a private plane to deliver migrants to O'Hare Airport in response to Mayor Brandon Johnson's opposition to bus drop-offs.
"They’re just dropping off people anywhere. Do you understand how raggedy and how evil that is? You’re just going to put people on a bus and just take them somewhere and drop them off in the middle of the night, and then you want to hold us accountable for something that’s happening at the border? It’s sickening," Johnson said during a press conference on Monday.
There is the possibility of additional flights transporting migrants to Chicago, but city officials may not receive notification until their arrival.
Meanwhile, as migrants continue to arrive in the Chicago area, the Tinley Park Village Board enacted a new ordinance on Tuesday night aimed at discouraging bus drivers from making unscheduled stops to drop off passengers.