CHICAGO (WLS) — Texas Governor Greg Abbott introduced Wednesday he is despatched the primary bus of migrants to Chicago.

Abbott introduced Wednesday night time that the primary bus had arrived at Union Station, however didn’t say how many individuals have been on the bus.

Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot responded to Abbott’s announcement in an announcement, saying the town had been notified immediately that roughly 60 migrants have been touring to Chicago.

“Chicago is a welcoming metropolis and as such has collaborated throughout varied departments and businesses to make sure we greeted them with dignity and respect,” the assertion mentioned partly.

For his or her security, we have blurred the faces of the migrants who arrived in Chicago, except they gave us permission to indicate them.

For some it was a reunion of aid and pure elation. One mom and father had trekked from Venezuela with their two babies, certain for household in Chicago and a greater life.

For others, what comes subsequent is rather less sure.

“We simply arrived to Texas they usually received us onto our bus they usually mentioned somebody was going to be ready for us right here, however that was not true,” mentioned William Mijares.

Abbott has beforehand bussed migrants to Washington, D.C. and New York.

“To proceed to supply much-needed aid to our small, overrun border cities, Chicago will be a part of fellow sanctuary cities…as a further drop off location,” he mentioned in an announcement. “Mayor Lightfoot likes to tout the accountability of her metropolis to welcome all no matter authorized standing, and I sit up for seeing this accountability in motion as these migrants obtain assets from a sanctuary metropolis with the capability to serve them.”

“As a metropolis, we’re doing every thing we are able to to make sure these immigrants and their households can obtain shelter, meals, and most significantly safety,” Lightfoot’s assertion continued. “This isn’t new; Chicago welcomes a whole bunch of migrants yearly to our metropolis and offers much-needed help. Sadly, Texas Governor Greg Abbot is with none disgrace or humanity. However ever since he put these racist practices of expulsion in place, we have now been working with our group companions to prepared the town to obtain these people.”

“I can’t say it was a pleasant journey, nevertheless it was higher than what we had throughout our passing in South America,” Mijares mentioned.

“We simply left Venezuela, went to Colombia, going via the jungle in Panama,” mentioned one other man who had simply arrived in Chicago. “We weren’t handled like people. We have been handled just like the worst form of individuals on the earth and we do not perceive why, however that is the way in which they contemplate us.”

Chicago metropolis transit buses will now carry the group to a shelter, the place they’re going to keep safely.

One other man who mentioned his identify is William mentioned he hopes to start out a brand new life.

“I need to discover a job, simply to progress in a really secure nation. That is what we wish,” he mentioned.

Like so many individuals on these buses, he has six kids and a household to supply for.

The state of Texas has spent greater than $12 million busing migrants to Washington, DC, and New York who crossed into the state from Mexico, in accordance with figures from the Texas Division of Emergency Administration

A state authorities spreadsheet obtained by CNN via a Freedom of Data Act request exhibits that, as of August 9, Texas has paid $12,707,720.92 to Wynne Transportation, the constitution service that’s taking migrants to the 2 cities.

Abbott’s workplace has mentioned migrants are transported out of state solely with their written permission. It isn’t clear what different choices have been provided to the migrants.

In a information launch Friday, Abbott’s workplace mentioned that “the busing mission is offering much-needed aid to our overwhelmed border communities.”

It’s normally the accountability of launched migrants to cowl the price of their journey all through the US as their asylum instances are pending in court docket. Nevertheless the state-chartered border buses have been offering free rides to the north-bound asylum-seekers for months.’

Texas has solicited non-public donations to assist pay for the price of the bus journeys, however the state had solely acquired $167,828 as of August 17. At a information convention in April asserting this system, Abbott acknowledged taxpayers have been prone to find yourself with a part of the invoice.

State businesses have offered conflicting figures for the precise variety of migrants that Texas has bused out of state, starting from 8,051 to 9,033. That quantities to a price of at the very least $1,400 per migrant to move.

The CNN Wire contributed to this report