>>> MAYOR LORI LIGHTFOOT DECLARES A STATE OF EMERGENCY IN CHICAGO SAYING THE HUMANITARIAN CRISIS GRIPPING THE CITY AMID A SURGE OF MIGRANTS FROM TEXAS IS ACCELERATING.

WTTW NEWS REPORTER HEATHER CHERONE JOINS US WITH MORE.

HEATHER, THERE ARE APPROXIMATELY 450 PEOPLE LIVING ON FLOORS IN POLICE STATIONS INCLUDING CHILDREN.

LET'S LISTEN TO LIGHTFOOT'S FIRST PUBLIC REMARKS ON THIS ISSUE SINCE THE SURGE BEGAN IN MID APRIL.

>> WE SHOULDN'T HAVE TO.

COME TO THIS POINT, BUT HERE WE ARE.

EVEN IN MY FINAL DAYS AS MAYOR, IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO STEP UP AND RESPOND TO THIS CRISIS.

>> AND SO WE'VE SEEN THE IMAGES OF OVERFLOWING POLICE STATIONS, KIDS SLEEPING ON THE FLOOR.

HOW DID THE CITY GET TO THIS POINT?

>> Reporter: WELL, IT REALLY STARTED IN ADVANCE BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO LIFT RESTRICTIONS ON THE BORDER THAT HAVE BEEN IN PLACE SINCE THE BEGINNING OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC.

SO THE CITY WAS CAUGHT FLAT FOOTED AND NOT REALIZING NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS WERE FLYING MIGRANTS TO CHICAGO THAT MEANT THE CITY WAS CAUGHT FLAT FOOTED.

THEIR SHELTERS WERE ALREADY FULL, AND THAT IS WHY PEOPLE ARE BEING FORCED TO SLEEP ON THE FLOOR OF POLICE STATIONS.

>> THE MAYOR IS ALSO CALLING OUT THE GOVERNOR OF TEXAS, GREG ABBOTT.

AND DURING A MEETING OF THE CITY COUNCIL BUDGET COMMITTEE TODAY, THE DEPARTMENT OF CHILDREN AND FAMILY SUPPORT SERVICES COMMISSIONER BRANDIE KNAZZE ACKNOWLEDGED THE CITY'S SOCIAL SAFETY NET HAS BEEN PUSHED TO ITS BREAKING POINT.

TAKE A LOOK.

>> IT'S JUST A BAD SITUATION.

PEOPLE SHOULD NOT BE IN POLICE STATIONS.

>> SO WHAT IS THIS EMERGENCY DECLARATION GOING TO DO IN PRACTICALITY?

>> Reporter: WELL, IT WILL NOT FREE UP MORE FUNDING TO MOVE THESE IMMIGRANTS INTO BETTER CONDITIONS.

WHAT IT WILL DO IS IT WILL END RULES THAT WILL REQUIRE APPROVALS FOR CITY OFFICIALS TO PURCHASE THINGS THE IMMIGRANTS NEED.

THIS IS HOPEFUL THAT THIS MONEY WILL HELP THE CITY OPEN NEW SHELTERS AND CENTERS TO GET THEM OUT OF THE POLICE STATIONS.

BUT BETWEEN 100 AND 150 IMMIGRANTS ARRIVING EACH DAY IN CHICAGO, THE CITY IS SIMPLY AT CAPACITY, WHICH IS WHY YOU'RE SEEING CONTROVERSIES ERUPT LIKE THE ONE OVER SOUTH SHORE HIGH SCHOOL.

>> RIGHT, VERY EMOTIONAL DEBATE AT SOUTH SHORE HIGH SCHOOL ABOUT HOUSING MIGRANTS THERE TEMPORARILY.

EMOTIONAL DEBATE IN CITY COUNCIL.

THERE WAS A BUDGET PROPOSAL BACKED BY LIGHTFOOT TO USE $51 MILLION IN BUDGET SURPLUS MONEY TO HELP CARE FOR THESE MIGRANTS.

LET'S LISTEN TO SOME OF THOSE FOLKS ON THAT DEBATE.

>> WHAT I HAVE PERSONALLY SEEN IN THE 19th POLICE DISTRICT, I WOULDN'T ALLOW A DOG TO BE TREATED THAT WAY.

>> WE NEED TO STEP UP AS A CITY DURING THIS HUMANITARIAN CRISIS.

WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY HERE TO DO THE RIGHT THING.

>> WHAT ABOUT HELP FROM STATE OR FEDERAL GOVERNMENT?

>> Reporter: IN ALL THE CITY HAS GOTTEN $30 MILLION FROM THE STATE TO HELP CARE FOR THE IMMIGRANTS, BUT ONLY $4.3 MILLION FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT SINCE THE START OF THE YEAR.

THE NEED IS SIGNIFICANTLY GREATER, WHICH IS WHY WE HEARD THE MAYOR TODAY PLEAD FOR MORE HELP.

SOMETHING I HAVE NO DOUBT THAT WE WILL HEAR ECHOED BY MAYOR ELECT BRANDON JOHNSON ONCE HE TAKES