How Mayors Around the World are Adapting to Immigrant Influxes
This interview first appeared on CBS News . MMC engages in content partnerships with several organizations, and cross-posting does not indicate an endorsement or agreement.
John Dickerson, News Anchor [00:00:00] As we’ve heard from officials in Springfield, Ohio, the lure of new jobs brought in thousands of Haitian migrants and ended up stretching some city resources. Now, mayors from cities across the Western hemisphere are getting together to share ideas and information on how to adapt to the growing population of immigrants in their cities. CBS News correspondent Lilia Luciano spoke to some of the members of the mayor’s migration task force, including the mayor of Chicago, who emphasized the importance of cohesion between governments in order to see the true benefits that migrants can provide.
Lilia Luciano, News Anchor [00:00:35] So what is the economic impact of the growing immigrant population in Chicago? And would you say now in hindsight that it was good policy to bus migrants to cities that could have those resources and jobs like Chicago?
Brandon Johnson, Mayor of Chicago, Illinois [00:00:50] Well, the economic impact in the city of Chicago and around the globe is tremendous. What we have seen over the course of time, particularly in these United States, is that we’re talking about trillions of dollars of investment. These individuals pay taxes, they actually contribute to our economy. They’re not just workers, but they are taxpayers, right? As far as policy is concerned, the governor of Texas, his unwillingness to coordinate and cooperate with cities around America was actually quite irresponsible and dangerous. These individuals were being sent, particularly to cities that were run by Democrats and cities that were run by individuals of color. So his intentions weren’t pure.
John Dickerson, News Anchor [00:01:33] It’s not an issue exclusive to the U.S. In Bogotá, Colombia, a city that has absorbed the greatest number of Venezuelan migrants anywhere in the world, the mayor says coordination with the national government could have a huge impact on his city.
Lilia Luciano, News Anchor [00:01:47] But do you think your national government or the president of Colombia could have an impact in ensuring democratic governance in Venezuela and perhaps slowing the migration of people out?
Carlos Galan, Mayor of Bogotá Colombia [00:01:58] I’m sure he has a great opportunity if he takes the decision to, or makes the decision to guarantee that there’s a change in Venezuela. What happens, what Colombia says, what Colombia does has a huge impact in Venezuela, as well as what happens in Venezuela has a huge impact in Colombia. So I think that we have a responsibility, as a mayor, I have a responsibility also to represent those Venezuelans who are in Bogotá, who are Bogotanos as well. That’s why I’ve been outspoken in saying that Colombia and Bogotá should work to guarantee that there’s a respect for the election, what happened, and for democracy, which is not happening right now. We don’t have a respect for democracy in Venezuela right now, and that’s what is creating a new wave or could create a new wave of migrants.
John Dickerson, News Anchor [00:02:45] And for the mayor of a border city in Mexico, if current U.S. policy is meant to ease the coordination of processing migrants, like the CBP One app went away, he believes it could mean more problems for both countries.
Cruz Perez Cuéllar, Mayor of Ciudad Juarez, Mexico [00:03:00] Well, it will be disastrous for all of us, not only for the Mexican side, because a lot of economic development in this country, in the U.S., it begins from migrants. So if that happens, it will be disastrous for us, you know, for both economies.
