The governor of Illinois, Democrat JB Pritzker, signed a disaster proclamation on Wednesday to speed up the delivery of resources and aid in the face of the arrival of hundreds of migrants sent by bus from the border by the Republican authorities of Texas and Arizona, and mobilized 75 National Guard troops to assist with their accommodation, food and medical care.
About 500 people seeking asylum in the United States have been transported from the border by Texas Governor Greg Abbott since the end of last month.
Thousands have also been sent to New York and Washington DC, cities run by Democrats that serve as sanctuary for immigrants.
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“While other states may treat these vulnerable families like pawns [in a political chess game], here in Illinois we treat them like people,” he told a news conference in Chicago.
Pritzker said that Texas is sending buses with asylum seekers without warning the cities where they arrive, and without responding to their attempts to coordinate.
"11 buses have arrived, and we know from what we've talked to in New York and Washington DC that it's not going to stop," said Human Services Secretary Grace Hou.
Pritzker explained that he has asked Texas to send the buses to reception centers in Chicago, which are equipped to receive migrants, but the buses arrive at Union Station.
The mayor of Washington DC, Democrat Muriel Bowser, asked the Department of Defense in August to mobilize the National Guard to deal with the arrival of migrants sent by Texas, but it denied the request to the capital.
In the case of Illinois, the governor has the legal capacity to mobilize his own military contingent.