Texas begins flying migrants from US-Mexico border to Chicago, with 1st plane carrying 120 people

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Texas has begun flying migrants from the U.S.-Mexico border to Chicago. Gov. Greg Abbot’s office says the first flight carried 120 people and took place Wednesday. That was a week after Chicago took a tougher stance on the buses that he has been sending north since April 2022. More than 80,000 migrants have since been relocated through the effort, including 23,000 to Chicago. The initiative is part of Abbott’s multibillion-dollar border security plan, called Operation Lone Star. Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson’s office did not immediately reply to a request for comment about the flights.