CHICAGO (CBS) – The mayors of three of the biggest cities in the country – including Chicago – met Wednesday to discuss the migrant crisis each is facing.
New York City Mayor Eric Adams and Denver Mayor Mike Johnston both said they will take a page from Chicago's book, as the leaders of those cities likewise said they are at a tipping point.
Not only are they running out of housing and resources, but they are still dealing with unannounced buses arriving every single day – and more expected to come.
"All of our cities have reached a point where we are either close to capacity, or nearly out of room," said Mayor Johnson.
All three cities' mayors issued a call to action to the White House.
"Without significant intervention from the federal government, this mission will not be sustained," Johnson said Wednesday.
City of Chicago Overwhelmed by Influx of Asylum Seekers
As of Wednesday, Chicago has received more than 26,000 asylum seekers. At least 10 buses of additional migrants were expected to arrive on Wednesday. Chicago's Office of Emergency Management and Communications (OEMC) said at least three buses arrived in the suburbs on Tuesday.
Despite nearing capacity, migrants continue to make their way into the city via buses onto Metra trains. Officials in Chicago have counted at least 19 buses so far. Local suburban communities were contacted to determine the number of asylum seekers they have received.
"We've received migrants in the middle of the night with little to no coordination," said Mayor Johnson.
Mayor Johnson recently held a virtual meeting with mayors Adams and Johnston to address what they are calling a "humanitarian crisis." All three cities are experiencing an influx of thousands of migrants, which is putting a strain on their resources and housing.
"At this point, our city has had more migrant arrivals than any city in America per capita," said Mayor Johnston of Denver.
"We cannot continue to do the federal government's job," added Mayor Adams of New York.
Executive Order Issued to Regulate Chartered Buses in New York City
Following the lead of the city of Chicago, Mayor Adams has announced an executive order for New York City to crack down on buses that arrive without notice. The City Council in Chicago recently implemented similar measures, imposing fines and impoundment of buses as penalties for failing to notify the city of drop-off locations.
"We have observed the best practices from other municipalities, particularly Chicago, and we are implementing them here in New York City," stated Mayor Adams. "Chartered buses will only be allowed to arrive between 8:30 a.m. and 12 p.m. from Monday to Friday, and they must drop off passengers at a designated spot unless instructed otherwise."
Violators of the executive order in New York City will face fines, lawsuits, or impoundment of their buses.
Denver has also implemented a similar order, according to Johnston.
"It is important to note that this order is not intended to prevent people from coming, but rather to ensure the safety of migrants and establish a coordinated and orderly arrival process," Mayor Adams clarified.
The three mayors are advocating for increased federal funding, expedited work permits to expedite the relocation of migrants from shelters, and improved coordination at the southern border.
In Chicago, despite the crackdown, there are still reports of rogue buses. At least 28 buses have been found dropping off migrants outside of Chicago, in areas such as Elmhurst, Naperville, Aurora, Lockport, University Park, Forest River Grove, and even as far as Kankakee.
"I don't think anyone was prepared for the enormity," said a village manager.
"We're trying to absorb as many as we can, however being a small community, we just don't have all the resources that we need," the village manager said.
One bus actually dropped people off in the middle of a cornfield.
"They're walking down the street," the village manager said. "Toddlers with no coats."
Even though the city anticipated about 10 buses arriving on Wednesday, no one know where they'll stop.
"By the time we get word, it's really us at that point trying to be reactive instead of proactive," the village manager said.
