What will President Pritzker do on immigration, border crisis?

There is speculation as to whether President Biden He will remain the Democratic Party’s presidential nominee for 2024 despite a poor performance in last week’s debate, with Illinois Governor JB Pritzker one of the names being floated to replace him.

But the ongoing crisis at the southern border remains a top issue for voters across the country, and there are signs that Pritzker may take a different approach to the crisis than the current administration.

Illinois is one of the states that has been hit hardest by the COVID-19 pandemic. Immigration crisisWhere thousands of migrants have arrived across the southern border into cities like Chicago.

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While Pritzker has been a broad supporter of most of President Biden’s efforts at the southern border, he is among the Democrats who have been critical of the federal government’s handling of the crisis.

In October, Pritzker sent a letter to Biden in which he stressed that he “believes in the right of every human being, especially those facing persecution, to seek refuge and live with dignity in this great country of ours.” However, he warned that the crisis is “overwhelming” the states and criticized the federal government.

“Unfortunately, the welcome and assistance Illinois is providing to these refugees is not matched by the support provided by the federal government. Most importantly, the federal government’s interference and lack of coordination at the border has created an intolerable situation for Illinois,” he said.

“Much more can and should be done at the federal level to address the national humanitarian crisis, as state and local governments are currently responding to this crisis without any assistance,” he said.

Specifically, he requested several actions, such as waiving fees for Temporary Protected Status (TPS) and a “significant” increase in logistics coordination, including having the federal government take over coordinating the routing of buses carrying migrants across the country.

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Migrants are processed by US Border Patrol near Jacumba Hot Springs after crossing the US-Mexico border, near San Diego, California, on June 13, 2024. (Qian Weizhong/VCG via Getty Images)

Pritzker also called for a “federal coordinator and task force” based at the border dedicated solely to migrant resettlement. In addition, he called (as has Biden’s administration) for providing more funding to states, local governments, and non-governmental organizations and for expediting work permits.

He also urged Biden to approve Illinois’ requests to allow waivers to Medicaid and housing vouchers for immigrants.

In January, he joined several other governors in writing a letter to Biden again calling for federal action and supporting the administration’s supplemental funding request to Congress. It also backed the administration’s claims that the immigration system is broken and in need of reform.

“Without serious reform through evidence-based solutions, the challenges facing states and local bodies will continue to grow,” the letter said.

Pritzker was also a supporter of the Biden administration’s move last year to seek renomination. TPS for VenezuelaThis meant that millions of people were saved from deportation and were given work permits.

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“Reducing wait times for employment approvals and extending protection status to Venezuelans will allow people to find work and start building a better future for themselves and their families,” he said.

Meanwhile, domestically, Pritzker has kept his focus on funding, approving a significant amount of money to help the state deal with the large influx of migrants.

Last year, when he was pressing Biden for more money, he also announced the state was investing $160 million to combat the crisis, including money for shelters and a broad range of services.

This year, Pritzker announced another $160 million in aidWhile another attack was made on the inaction of the Congress.

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“With the constant influx of thousands of refugees Come to Chicago “We desperately need support, and with Congress continually refusing to act — it’s clear that states, counties, and cities must do more to keep people safe,” he said.

Get the latest updates on the ongoing border crisis from the Fox News Digital Immigration Hub.