Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot says she'd be 'happy to drain Texas' of all its residents: 'We'll rent the buses'

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Democrat Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot said that she'd be "happy to drain Texas of all its residents" and welcome them to Chicago after Republican Texas Gov. Greg Abbott sent two buses with migrants onboard to Chicago's Union Station.

Lightfoot made the comments during a Thursday press conference after the migrants' arrival.

"I'm happy to take and drain Texas, of all of its residents," Lightfoot said. "I wouldn't want to live in a state with a governor like that. I certainly wouldn't want to live in a state where they are doing everything they can to strip people of their basic rights. And let's not forget about what they've done to women and others who were seeking reproductive health care."

Lightfoot added that she welcomes "Texans to Chicago" and said that "we'll rent the buses next time to bring them here."

CHICAGO MAYOR LORI LIGHTFOOT SLAMS TEXAS GOV. ABBOTT AS A 'MAN WITHOUT ANY MORALS' AFTER SENDING MIGRANT BUSES

Mayor Lori Lightfoot introduces Jazmine Sullivan during 2022 Lollapalooza day one at Grant Park on July 28, 2022 in Chicago, Illinois (Tim Mosenfelder/Getty Images)

However, data show that people living in Illinois are moving away toward states like Texas.

According to Forbes, citing USPS change-of-address data, Illinois ranks No. 3 for states where residents are leaving, and Texas ranks No. 1 for where people are moving to.

Abbott sent two buses from Texas to Chicago on Wednesday, which arrived at Union Station at 7:30 p.m., carrying migrants who illegally crossed the southern border.

The mayor says that 75 migrants were on the two buses and added that many of them were from Venezuela.

In a statement after the buses' arrival on Wednesday, Abbott said that Chicago is being added as a "drop-off location" for future migrant buses in response to "President Biden's open border policies overwhelming border communities in Texas," joining the existing locations of New York City and Washington, D.C.

Lightfoot harshly criticized Abbott on Thursday, saying he is a "man without any morals"

TEXAS SENDS BUSES OF MIGRANTS TO CHICAGO FOR FIRST TIME, DROPPED OFF AT TRAIN STATION

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott speaks at a news conference in Austin, Texas. (AP Photo/Eric Gay, File)

 "Let me say loud and clear to Greg Abbott and his enablers in Texas with these continued political stunts, Gov. Abbott has confirmed what unfortunately many of us had known already, that he is a man without any morals, humanity or shame," Lightfoot said.

She also said that it is "my prayer" that Abbott "finds some humanity" and doesn't continue to send buses of migrants to Chicago, but said if he does, "we're ready."

Abbott's office responded to her claims, stating that Lightfoot is being an "absolute hypocrite."

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Migrants arrive in Chicago from Texas (Fox News)

"Where was her outrage and condemnation of President Biden as he flew planeloads of migrants across the country and dropped them in communities in the cover of night? Mayor Lightfoot knows nothing about Texas' busing strategy and needs to stop with the baseless lies and fearmongering. Texas continues stepping up and responding to the Biden-made border crisis, taking unprecedented action to address the historic levels of illegal immigrants, terrorists, and deadly drugs like fentanyl that are surging into our communities and overwhelming border towns," Abbott's press secretary Renea Eze said.

"If the mayor wants a solution to this humanitarian crisis, she should stop complaining and call on President Biden to take immediate action to secure the border—something the President continues failing to do," Eze added.

Fox News' Timothy Nerozzi, Emma Colton, Liz Friden, Grady Trimble, Paul Best, and Bill Melugin contributed to this report.