(The Center Square) – Chicago’s migrant crisis is front-and-center for both U.S. House candidates in Illinois’ First District.
Republican Marcus Lewis is challenging Democratic incumbent Congressman Jonathan Jackson.
Lewis noted the First District has experienced an influx of migrants.
“They’re being funded: $9,700 every six months for rent, $2,000 a month for Social Security. [They] never worked a day in their life. This is insulting to our constituents and residents of our district,” Lewis said.
In a social media post, Jackson blamed past Republican presidents for millions of foreign nationals entering the U.S. in the last three years.
“Because of severe economic sanctions by both George W. Bush and Donald J. Trump administrations, more than 7.7 million people have fled Venezuela recently,” Jackson said.
Jackson said the Biden-Harris Administration has taken decisive executive action to stem the tide of immigrants coming across the southern border of the country.
“Border crossing is now down to its lowest level since the mid-2020’s,” Jackson stated.
Citing data from U.S. Customs and Border Protection, The Center Square first reported that there have been more than 12.5 million illegal border crossers since fiscal year 2021, when President Joe Biden took office.
This excludes more than 1.3 million foreign nationals released into the U.S. through at least two parole programs created by the Biden-Harris administration: roughly 813,000 illegal foreign nationals processed through the CBP One app and nearly 530,000 through CHNV (Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans, and Venezuelans), according to CBP data.
Lewis, a former Democrat, says it is time for voters in Chicago to change their ways.
“I’m saying, ‘Don’t vote blue, no matter who. Vote red. Vote red. There’s another party out here.’ As Republicans, we are doing what Democrats traditionally used to be, which was for the working-class family,” Lewis said.
Lewis is seeking to become the first Republican to represent Illinois’ First Congressional District since 1935. The district covers parts of Chicago’s South Side and southwest suburban areas.
Election Day is November 5th.
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