northern cities are dealing with a surge# of migrants from the southern border.

Last night, William reported from New York.## Tonight, he has the story from# Chicago on the res as more migrants are getting bused and flown# in by Texas Republican Governor WI LLIAM BRANGHAM: It's move-in day# on the South Side of Chicago.

A team## of movers with a local nonprofit is helping# yet another migrant family star with a rented van, donated furniture# and housing assistance for three months.

Maria and her daughters, who asked me not to show# their faces, fled Venezuela, crossed the Mexican## border, declared asylum, and then were put on# buses in Texas and sent north; 19-year-old Franck## Marquez is their cousin.

He too left Venezuela# after they did, and they reconnected in Chicago.

FRANCK MARQUEZ, Venezuelan Migrant (through# translator): More than anything, I left my## country because of the sec WILLIAM BRANGHAM: It took him two months# to get here, including four days walking## through the treacherous Darien Gap in# Central America before he arrived in## Mexico and made his way to Chicago, where# he was connected with local charities.

FRANCK MARQUEZ (through translator):# They have given us a lot of support,## not only me, but many other create a better future for# themselves and their family.

WILLIAM BRANGHAM: Scenes like this are playing# out hundreds of time newly arrived migrants trying to start anew.

Since August of 2022, an estimated 27,000,# mostly from Venezuela, have come to But to city officials coordinating and funding# this unprecedented wave, it's proving to be a## serious burden.

City and state leaders have# often been at odds over how to respond.

Chicago's Democratic Mayor Brandon# Johnson has echoed the calls of## other Northern big city mayors who are# asking for more help from Washington.

BRANDON JOHNSON (D), Mayor of Chicago,# Illinois: This is a national problem.## It's an international problem.

And# WI LLIAM BRANGHAM: Chicago's shelter# system is admittedly overwhelmed.## The city's 3,500 shelter beds were nowhere# near enough for the surge of In itially, migrants slept on the floors# of police stations and in airports as the## city built up capacity.

But once it stood up# temporary shelters, those were often criticized## for being overcrowded and unsanitary.# Just before Christmas, a 5-year-old boy## died of what critics said was a treatable# illness inside a city-contracted shelter.

The city argues that many migrants are being# sent to Chicago in already poor health.

BRITT HODGDON, Social Worker: This was a## pr WILLIAM BRANGHAM: If I had# said to you a year or so ago,## here are the numbers you're going to be# dealing with and here's to have to scale up at the pace you have# to scale it up, wh MATT DEMARIO, Executive Director, New# Life Centers: I would have laughed## ou WILLIAM BRANGHAM: Matt DeMario runs New# Life Centers, a mostly Spanis faith-based group that is one of the# many nonprofits in Chicago that's## partnered with the city and state to help# migrants as soon as they get off the bus.

Before this current group arrived, New Life ran# programs for young people in their community,## along with a food pantry.

Now they have# dialed up a full-scale housing program.

MATT DEMARIO: In the last seven months, we# have moved 2,000 families into apartments,## about 8,000 people.

And now, starting next# week, we will be doing 55 moves per day,## about 275 a week.

So we will be# doing 1,100 apartments per month.

WILLIAM BRANGHAM: Wow.

I mean,# that's an incredible volume,## even though you were doing none# of this, really, a yea MATT DEMARIO: Yes, we have had an amazing team# step up.

We built a system of drivers, warehouse, partnership# with the Chicago Furniture Bank,## groups who have clothing, who have furniture.

WILLIAM BRANGHAM: New Life operates# this 20,000-square from floor to ceiling with donated goods and# household supplies for newly arriving families.

Meanwhile, the buses continue arriving# from Texas.

Chicago has now filed## lawsuits against multiple bus companies# hired by Texas Governor Greg Abbott,## alleging they're refusing to follow new rules on# coordinating the times and locations of drop-offs.

One of the arguments that you have heard# border governors and border leaders make## is that they have been dealing with this for# years now, and now they're trying to say,## look, the rest of the country# ought to deal with this as well.

MATT DEMARIO: Yes, I hear that argument.# And I think -- the first thing I th this is a federal issue.

And the federal# government needs to come in wi resources.

We're building the infrastructure# with almost zero federal suppor been all state and city resources in Chicago# and in Illinois building this ecosystem.

And so we want them, we invite them.

We're a## welcoming city.

But the resources an DR. EVELYN FIGUEROA, Executive Co-Director,# Pilsen Food Pantry: There's space for## people.

Chicago WILLIAM BRANGHAM: Dr. Evelyn# Figueroa runs the Pilsen Food Pantry,## a nonprofit that provides clothing, food# and other services to migrants in t She says she understands# the severity of the crisis,## but says Chicago has the capacity to handle it.

DR. EVELYN FIGUEROA: With the migrants, it's# 25,000 people.

Our population is 2 Chicago.

Are we really going to get, like, tossed# apart by 25,000 people?

Seriously?

Of course not.

WILLIAM BRANGHAM: What do you# say to the people who argue## that this is very costly and we can't af DR. EVELYN FIGUEROA: It is expensive# when it's reactive.

It's expensive## when we don't develop systems.# We are doing things the hard way,## and it's harder for us too.

It doesn't have to# be like this.

We have thousands of nonprofits## in Chicago that are helping, but we're# doing it like chickens without heads.

WILLIAM BRANGHAM: Figueroa blames City Hall# and the state government for poor coordination.

One example, earlier this month, the state# had to scrap a proposed migrant tent camp on## a former industrial site because the soil# was contaminated.

The city lost close to## a million dollars on that effort.

Meanwhile,# Governor Abbott has been posting new videos,## now showing migrant families being# flown from Texas to Illinois.

For the "PBS NewsHour," I'm# William Brangham in Chicago.