CHICAGO – Mayor Brandon Johnson and the Metropolitan Mayors Caucus have invited regional municipal leaders to Chicago to discuss the current state of the region’s new arrival mission, Chicago and Cook County operations, the implementation of bus ordinances, and regional coordination and advocacy opportunities. This meeting of regional mayors will take place Tuesday, Jan. 16, at the United Center at 9:30 a.m.

"The City of Chicago stands with all municipalities throughout the region that are grappling with this humanitarian crisis sown by Governor Greg Abbott’s reckless actions,” said Mayor Brandon Johnson, Vice Chair of the Metropolitan Mayors Caucus. “With this convening, our goal is to share operational strategy and work towards a collective plan for coordination and advocacy for additional support. This collaboration is essential for maintaining a humane regional response.”

Tuesday’s in-person meeting will build on a series of virtual meetings between Mayor Brandon Johnson, senior administration officials and Chicagoland Mayors and administrators which have already strengthened intelligence sharing, operational alignment, and the implementation of bus ordinances across the region. The Metropolitan Mayors Caucus has been a critical vehicle for facilitating this engagement as 200 buses have arrived in cities and villages outside of Chicago since December 1.

“By working with state, county and local authorities throughout NE Illinois, Mayors are demonstrating their agility and action-oriented approach to managing the unscheduled arrival of asylum seekers in their respective communities,” said Geneva Mayor Kevin Burns, Chair of the Metropolitan Mayors Caucus. "Our collective efforts are rooted in providing safe, respectful and compassionate assistance for asylum seekers making their way to their final destination. This convening is a critical next step to strengthen our collective efforts.”

Since August 2022, Chicago has welcomed approximately 30,000 new arrivals from the southern border, and in recent weeks, the region has seen an increase of drop-offs of new arrivals to the surrounding suburbs. There have been 535 buses that have arrived in the City of Chicago since Jan 1, 2023, and out of that total, 98 percent (526) have arrived since the Johnson Administration took office in mid-May of 2023.

At the conclusion of the meeting, Mayor Johnson and a group of regional mayors will hold a press conference to provide a readout to the assembled media.

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