CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) — For the fourth time in less than two weeks busses carrying migrants arrived in Chicago from Texas Friday afternoon.
About 100 people were on the latest busses sent by Texas Governor Greg Abbott, from Venezuela, Nicaragua and Cuba-bringing the total number to about 375 sent to Chicago, so far.
The latest came just after Senator Dick Durbin visited a Salvation Army shelter in Humboldt Park where about 150 migrants are staying.
Outside the Salvation Army facility, some of the migrants sat on a curb in the parking lot.They’re bored, one said. They want to work.
Many are young-in their mid-twenties. Some have been traveling with children since May.
Durbin sat down with some of them with an interpreter. He noted that while the migrants are free to go, their immigration status won't be resolved anytime soon and in the meantime they can't work legally — that was eliminated by the Trump Administration.
What’s happening to these people is “cruel and it’s inhumane,” Durbin said.
"I'm sorry the governors of these states have done this without thinking of the consequences on these individuals, but we need to make the best of the situation and we are."
He thanked the organizations like the Salvation Army and Catholic Charities, as well as the city of Chicago and Cook County governments and social service agencies that are helping.
“We've got to be ready to do our best to help these people,” he said.
There are a number of organizations assisting the migrants, but there is concern that they’ll be overwhelmed at some point if the migrants keep coming to Chicago.
Durbin said Republicans and Democrats really need to work together on reforming immigration policy- something, he says, they’ve been unable to do for years, despite coming close.
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