The Biden administration has partnered with the city of Chicago to introduce a groundbreaking pilot program that aims to streamline the integration of migrants into the workforce.
As disclosed by the Chicago Sun-Times on Tuesday, November 7, this program is a response to the surging influx of migrants, which has significantly strained public resources in the city. The situation has prompted the need for a comprehensive solution to relieve the pressure on the city’s shelter system, caused by the increasing numbers of migrants.
Angelo Fernández Hernández, a spokesperson for the White House, has described this initiative as a “one-stop-shop” meticulously designed to support migrants during their transitional phase.
The program is set to kick off this Thursday, commencing with a pilot phase that is expected to serve approximately 150 migrants daily. There are ambitious plans for expansion in the near future, with a strong focus on collaboration with the state, city, and the Resurrection Project, according to Hernández.
In a significant move, the Biden administration had previously made a commitment to work closely with the state of New York to launch a similar campaign back in August, as reported by the Chicago Sun-Times. Moreover, there are reports of another such program in the pipeline for the city of Boston.
To ensure the success of the program in Chicago, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) will be deploying approximately 12 staff members dedicated to facilitating the process of obtaining work permits for migrants. Notably, a 180-day mandatory waiting period is in place before migrants can receive work authorization.
The urgency of this program can be attributed to the continuous surge in illegal immigration at the southern border, which has reached alarming levels. A recent review of fiscal year 2023 data conducted by the Daily Caller News Foundation has revealed that the number of migrants entering the U.S. after illegally crossing the U.S.-Mexico border now exceeds the populations of 11 entire states.
This influx of migrants has created a pressing need for innovative solutions, especially in cities like Chicago, which have seen thousands of migrants arriving via buses from Colorado and Texas. Some of them have been temporarily housed in police stations due to the overwhelming numbers.
The collaborative effort between the Biden administration and Chicago underscores the critical importance of addressing the pressing issue of migrant integration and the significant strain it places on the city’s resources.
