'Orderly And Without Incident:' Wheaton Addresses Migrant Buses

WHEATON, IL — Wheaton city officials recently shared an update with residents after more than a dozen buses dropped asylum seeking migrants off at local Metra stations. In their statement, city officials wrote that the dropoffs have thus far been "orderly and without incident."

According to the City of Wheaton, 14 buses of asylum seekers have been dropped off at Metra stations in Wheaton to use the trains to get to Chicago. Bus drivers have been using Metra stations as dropoff points as a workaround after Chicago put restrictions in place limiting the time and number of buses that can leave migrants in the city each day.

In total, 72 buses have dropped off 2,988 migrants at Metra Stations throughout DuPage County, per the county's Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Management (OHSEM).

Per Wheaton's recent update, officials will continue to work with DuPage OHSEM to monitor these unscheduled bus arrivals. The update added, "Wheaton Police officers have been present in the area observing the orderly boarding of passengers and supporting the safety of the passengers and residents."

In December, Tinley Park approved an ordinance to restrict unscheduled bus arrivals with the threat of impoundment. Joliet followed suit with an ordinance that passed Tuesday. Other suburbs, including Clarendon Hills, are considering taking measures to prevent buses from leaving migrants in or near their municipalities.