Colorado stops sending migrants to Chicago and New York
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Colorado says it will stop busing migrants to Chicago and New York, after Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot and New York Mayor Eric Adams formed an alliance and wrote a letter to Colorado's governor.
In a statement, the mayors said since Texas Gov. Greg Abbot began sending thousands of migrants to both cities last spring, shelters in Chicago and New York have reached capacity, and the cities no longer can provide adequate services to support more migrants.
"Although we share the concerns of accommodating the flood of asylum seekers, overburdening other cities is not the solution. We respectfully demand that you cease and desist sending migrants to New York City and Chicago," the mayors wrote in their letter to Colorado Gov. Jared Polis.
The mayors and Polis agreed that the federal government needs to step in to help with the crisis.
Polis responded in a statement, saying Colorado is simply trying to help people get to their desired destinations.
"People fleeing violence and oppression in search of a better life for themselves and their families deserve our respect not political games and we are grateful we have been able to assist migrants to reach their final destination," he said. "We refuse to keep people against their will if they desire to travel elsewhere. While the federal government and Congress, unfortunately, have failed the American people on immigration reform and border security, Colorado continues to assure culturally competent and humane support to help assist migrants escaping oppression."
Polis spoke with both mayors over the weekend, and after a final bus from Denver to New York left on Sunday, no more buses are scheduled for migrants to either city.
The governor also noted Colorado coordinated with New York and Illinois when sending migrants, something Texas did not do.
Chicago received more than 3,800 migrants seeking asylum from Texas alone.