Mayor Lori Lightfoot defended her decision to transform a shuttered school in Woodlawn into a shelter for immigrants bused to Chicago as part of an “all hands on deck” response to what she called a crisis manufactured by the Republican governor of Texas during an interview on Tuesday with “Chicago Tonight.”

As constant and controversial as conversations around immigration in Washington have become, many lawmakers weighing in don’t have direct personal connections to the issues they’re debating. Delia Ramirez, 39, has lived them her entire life.

An Afghan interpreter who served alongside U.S. Marines fled the country with his family over safety concerns. Now, his Special Immigrant Visa was denied for the last time. 

Title 42 has been used more than 2.5 million times to expel migrants since March 2020, although that number includes people who repeatedly attempted to cross the border. The case will be argued in February, and the stay will be maintained until the Supreme Court decides.

In a ruling Tuesday, the Supreme Court extended a temporary stay that Chief Justice John Roberts issued last week. Under the court’s order, the case will be argued in February and the stay will be maintained until the justices decide the case.

A recent investigation by Injustice Watch found that the Chicago Police Department has prevented undocumented immigrants who are victims of crimes from qualifying to apply for temporary status. 

One of the priorities is a bill to protect more than 600,000 so-called Dreamers under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA program, which Illinois Sen. Dick Durbin aims to work with Republican senators.

Migrants arriving to Chicago from the Texas border say they are looking to build a better lives for themselves and want to provide support to their families back home. 

Immigrants protected by the DACA program, or Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, have been in limbo over the last few years as the program has been challenged in the courts. Now, just weeks before the next Congressional session begins some are hoping to use the lame-duck session to protect the program.

The infrastructure the city and state has built to receive migrants aims to ensure individuals and families are stabilized before they move on in their journey. 

More than 3,600 immigrants, most of them from Venezuela, have arrived in Chicago since Aug. 31, when Texas Gov. Greg Abbott sent the first bus of 75 people to Chicago. 

Chicago officials say 81 more migrants arrived in town on a bus from Texas during the day Wednesday. City officials say more than 1,500 total migrants have arrived in recent weeks from Texas with more expected Wednesday evening. 

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott continues to bus hundreds of migrants to cities across the country. That includes Chicago, which has welcomed more than 500 people seeking asylum since Aug. 31. Another bus arrived Thursday night at Union Station.  

Burr Ridge Mayor Gary Grasso has criticized Chicago and Illinois officials for not informing the village of the migrants’ arrival ahead of time, and said that at this point, his office is actively working with businesses and the school district to assist the families staying at the hotel.

More than 500 immigrants who are seeking asylum have arrived in Chicago on 11 buses since Aug. 31, officials said.

As buses of migrants arrive from Texas, the city of Chicago and local community organizations are working to get the newly arrived people settled.