The word “hypocrisy” is being bandied about in reference to Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot after she shunted illegal immigrants to a suburban after initially saying they were welcome in her city.
This summer, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott decided that Democrat-run cities that support illegal immigration by calling themselves sanctuary cities should share in the flood of illegal immigrants crowing the border. As such, Chicago, New York City and Washington, D.C., have seen busloads of illegal immigrants arrive.
When the first busload of illegal immigrants arrived, Lightfoot called the moment an important episode in Chicago’s history.
“This is such an important moment for Chicago as our city has been a sanctuary for thousands of newcomers. We are welcoming them and we will not turn our backs on those who need our help the most,” Lightfoot said in a statement, according to WMAQ-TV.
“We understand that many are fleeing violent, traumatic, or otherwise unstable environments,” the statement said. “We will respond with essential services while these individuals navigate the next steps of their journey and our community partners have been working diligently to provide a safety net.”
Lightfoot bashed Abbott for not working with her.
“We shouldn’t have to guess,” she said, according to WLS-TV.
“We shouldn’t have to have folks on the ground whispering to us about what’s happening. If you don’t want these folks to stay in Texas, then make sure that you collaborate with the cities before you put them on buses so that we can be here and make sure that our services are welcoming.”
But lo and behold, 64 of 175 illegal immigrants sent to Chicago were soon sent to a Hampton Inn in the suburb of Burr Ridge with no notice to local officials
“I am concerned neither the village administrator nor I were told about this,” Burr Ridge Mayor Gary Grasso said, according to WGN-TV. “We want to know: Why Burr Ridge?”
“Neither village elected officials nor staff were consulted or contacted about this decision and we are now gathering information to keep our community updated,” he said to WMAQ.
Grasso also said it was hypocritical for Lightfoot to criticize Abbott for sending illegal immigrants up north and then ship them out to his community, according to Fox News.
“We’re more than happy for people to find freedom, it is hypocrisy by the mayor of Chicago to complain about the governor of Texas — I do agree with what he’s doing — the city of Chicago says it’s going to be a sanctuary city which I oppose — but there must be vacant hotel rooms in Chicago. This is hundreds of people in a city of millions. Why are they sending them out to the Republican suburbs? You have to wonder,” Grasso said.
Grasso said the issue is not those the community will house, but how Burr Ridge was picked with no notice.
“As is my understanding, this hotel, about a year ago, when refugees came in from Afghanistan, apparently accepted several either through faith-based or charitable organizations, but now the state assumes they can just send migrants… this isn’t about them, the migrants is fine, they’re being used as political pawns by the governor and mayor,” Grasso said.
The previous usage of the Hampton Inn for Afghan refugees “does not give carte blanche to the governor or the mayor to send a couple of bus loads of migrants to our village without telling us,” he said.
“The border situation on the southern border is a totally different situation than Afghan refugees. It’s total arrogance for the state to assume they can send migrants to the suburbs around Chicago,” Grasso said.
This article appeared originally on The Western Journal.
