Instagram / governorabbott
Gov. Greg Abbott shows off his handiwork after signing Texas' latest border security bill.
The first flight carrying some 100 migrants from El Paso arrived in Chicago on Tuesday, according to NBC News. Abbott’s office said the measure was necessary after Chicago impounded busses carrying migrants from Texas.
The Democrat-led city recently passed an ordinance penalizing buses without that fail to drop off migrants at designated locations and without proper paperwork, according to NBC.
“Sanctuary city Chicago started obstructing and targeting our bussing mission,” Abbott wrote Wednesday on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter. “Texas will now expand our operation to include flights to Chicago.”
Abbott added: “Until [President Joe] Biden steps up to secure the border, we will continue to provide overwhelmed Texas border towns with much-needed relief.”
The flight to Chicago came the day after Abbott signed a highly controversial immigration bill into law that allows local and state police to arrest people they suspect of being in the U.S. illegally. That measure, Senate Bill 4, also permits state judges to deport migrants — authority traditionally reserved for the federal government.Sanctuary city Chicago started obstructing and targeting our busing mission.
— Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) December 20, 2023
Texas will now expand our operation to include flights to Chicago.
Until Biden steps up to secure the border, we will continue to provide overwhelmed Texas border towns with much-needed relief. pic.twitter.com/kRoK8KBpJ2
Prior to the flight, Texas had bused more than 80,000 people from border cities to so-called “sanctuary cities” as part of Abbott’s border crackdown, Operation Lone Star, according to the Texas Tribune.
Operation Lone Star has cost Texas tax payers $4.5 billion since it was launched in 2021, the Wall Street Journal reports. The state has allocated an additional $5.1 billion to fund the operation over the next two years.
Subscribe to SA Current newsletters.
Follow us: Apple News | Google News | NewsBreak | Reddit | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter| Or sign up for our RSS Feed
