We've seen the dramatic rise of migrants moving to our nation's biggest cities after Texas Governor Greg Abbott instituted Operation Lone Star. That effort used millions of dollars in Texas state funds to send thousands of migrants from the Texas/Mexico border to cities across America. Data analyzed by the ABC Owned Television Stations shows New York, Chicago and Denver were the top cities to receive migrants as of February this year.
- Los Angeles: Over 1,500 since June 2023
- NYC: Over 37,900 since August 2022
- Chicago: Over 31,500 since August 2022
- Philadelphia: Over 3,400 since November 2022
- Denver: Over 16,300 since May 2023
- Washington DC: Over 12,500 since April 2022
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ABC Owned Television Stations teamed up to tell stories about the impact migrants are having on America in 2024, from the border in Texas to Chicago and New York. It's a streaming special called Migrants in America. Our teams even uncovered the cost to the American taxpayer as some migrants have been sent to one city, only to be sent off to another place in a case of double migration.
SEE MORE: Taxpayers pay for migrants who want to leave Chicago just after arriving
We also uncover how much Texas taxpayers have shelled out to send migrants from the border out of the Lone Star State.
SEE MORE: How much have Texas taxpayers paid to send migrants to other states?
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Amid the chaos, there is hope. Our ABC reporting profiled a migrant in Oak Park, Illinois, who is giving back and helping migrants who have just arrived.
SEE MORE: Venezuelan migrant in Illinois giving back to community
Watch "Migrants in America" now in the video player above or wherever you stream this station on Roku, Apple TV, FireTV or Google TV.