Washington D.C. and NYC Push Back Against TX and AZ Policy to Bus Migrants North
Increasing numbers of migrants crossing the border have prompted the governors of Texas and Arizona to take a new approach to border control; send migrants to the Democrat-led cities of New York and Washington D.C. As migrants are bussed to these major cities, leaders there have called for increased support in what is being seen as an obvious politicized move.
In May, a reported 239,000 migrant encounters occurred along the southern border by Customs and Border Protection and U.S. Border Patrol. While this figure also includes migrants who tried to cross the border twice, it's still 2% higher than the 157,555 encounters in April, a record high.
In an attempt to urge the administration to crack down on border security and immigration policy, Texas Governor Greg Abbott and Arizona Governor Doug Ducey have enacted a new methodology for dealing with surging migrant levels. As opposed to housing and providing migrants with services within the states of Texas and Arizona, the governors have turned to busing migrants north to Washington D.C. and New York.
Governor Abbot’s office details that over 6,600 migrants have been bused to Washington D.C. after being processed and then released by the Department of Homeland Security. Since the busing began in late spring, at least 170 charter buses have been routed from Texas to DC and New York.
While Abbott and Ducey’s approach is unlike any other taken in the past, officials in Washington and New York have criticized the governors for sending migrants without having a plan in place for them once they arrive. Some officials have even accused Abbot and Ducey of falsely misleading migrants into taking bus tickets to New York and Washington D.C. as a way to bring the migrant crisis closer to the Biden administration’s doorstep.
Reports have indicated that migrants are under the impression that they will arrive in Washington D.C. or New York and be met with support, housing, and other resources that are readily available for them. However, many migrants are arriving without any direction as to where they are supposed to go or who is there to help them. For some, this means uncertainty upon arrival, sleeping on the street, and being unable to continue to their final destination.
Washington D.C. Seeks Assistance
Not long after buses began to arrive in Washington D.C., the city's mayor Muriel Bowser called on the Biden administration for federal assistance. Along with other government officials, Bowser requested assistance from D.C.’s National Guard, but the request was denied. The request was meant to help the many non-profit organizations that intervene without preparedness to help migrants who’ve arrived in the city.
For many of these migrants, Washington D.C. was a stop along the route to a final destination that was either not determined or not planned out. Many migrants were sent to the city with little information save for paperwork that had the migrant's personal contact information and a final destination address. Reports have surfaced that the final address listed for some migrants was that of a non-profit agency or corporate office, both of which were either unprepared for the migrant arrival or incapable of helping.
Bowser was able to secure a FEMA grant in June. Through this FEMA grant, international nonprofit organizations have been able to provide migrants with emergency services. Among these services were vouchers for food and hotel stays. However, these funds are quickly running out as more migrants arrive daily.
New York Governor Responds
New York City Mayor Eric Adams has also responded to what he's called a “humanitarian crisis” as migrants have begun showing up in the city on buses. During a press conference, Adams called Abbott and Ducey’s move “inhumane,” sharing that there was “nothing successful about treating people with this lack of dignity."
Texas Governor Abbott took a very different approach, seemingly mocking the city's policies on border control and immigration. "In addition to Washington, D.C., New York City is the ideal destination for these migrants, who can receive the abundance of city services and housing that Mayor Eric Adams has boasted about within the sanctuary city," Abbott shared in a written statement. "I hope he follows through on his promise of welcoming all migrants with open arms so that our overrun and overwhelmed border towns can find relief."
While Mayor Adams has shared that the migrants will be welcomed and supported, he has stressed the need for more support in assistance as the migrants unintentionally add to the strain of homeless services available in the city.
Adams and Governor Abbot have since been engaged in a war of words about busing migrants without having a proper plan in place for them. Both appeared in a recent interview on Nightline where they defended their stances on how to deal with the surge in migrant men, women, and children seeking shelter and assistance.
Recent data obtained by a local news outlet in Texas, NBC5, has reported that busing migrants up the east coast is costing taxpayers an estimated $1,400 + per rider. Data taken from the Texas Division of Emergency Management shows that busing costs have gone over $1.6 million between April and May. As the busing continues, that number will likely go up as well.
