Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson’s administration is cracking down on “rogue buses” bringing illegal immigrants to the Windy City.
According to The Chicago Tribune, 55 lawsuits have been filed so far since new rules went into place last month stipulating where and when buses can arrive.
“The lawsuits address 77 total buses accused of violating the rules, and public records show at least some cases are seeking fines against the bus companies,” the report states.
A spokesperson for the mayor’s office told The Tribune that Chicago "continues to welcome asylum-seekers but the city cannot safely and efficiently shelter migrants when bus companies, contracted by the State of Texas, flagrantly violate all safety measures that the city has put in place."
Under the new regulations, a maximum of two buses can arrive per hour between 8 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. Additionally, the buses will need permission from the city to bring illegal immigrants in. Johnson hopes to see the buses fined or impounded for failing to follow the rules.
Amid the illegal immigration crisis, Republican governors have been sending illegal immigrants to sanctuary locations throughout the country, helping alleviate the burden on border states, drawing attention to the crisis, and putting pressure on the Biden administration to enforce the law.
More than 460 buses have arrived with illegal immigrants in Chicago since May, according to The Tribune. GOP governors are also busing migrants to New York City, Washington, D.C., Massachusetts, and other locations.
The move to crack down on buses comes as Gov. J.B. Pritzker poured cold water on Johnson's plan to construct winterized tents in the city to house illegal immigrants over environmental concerns at the former industrial site.
“We will not proceed with housing families on a site where serious environmental concerns are still present,” Pritzker said in a statement.