First bus of migrants sent by Gov. Abbott in Texas arrives in NYC
First bus of migrants sent by Gov. Abbott in Texas arrives in NYC
By Callie Patteson
August 5, 2022
Just days after Mayor Eric Adams turned down Greg Abbott’s invitation to visit the southern border, the Texas governor sent a taste of the ongoing migrant surge to NYC’s doorstep — with the first busload of border-crossers arriving in Manhattan Friday morning.
Abbott’s office told The Post that more than 50 migrants were on board the bus when it arrived at Gate 14 of the Port Authority Bus Terminal.
The Republican governor revealed in a statement that the migrant bus arrived at Gate 14 of the Port Authority Bus Terminal, but did not provide any additional details — such as how many people were on board or their countries of origin.
The arrival of the migrants comes as Abbott has dispatched dozens of buses to Washington DC since April, transporting more than 6,100 migrants to the nation’s capital in “response to the Biden administration’s open border policies overwhelming Texas communities.”
“Because of President Biden’s continued refusal to acknowledge the crisis caused by his open border policies, the State of Texas has had to take unprecedented action to keep our communities safe,” Abbott said in his Friday statement.
“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. 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,” he continued.
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Texas Gov. Greg Abbott announced the first bus full of migrants has arrived at the Port Authority Bus Terminal. Fox News
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Texas Gov. Greg Abbott hopes Mayor Eric Adams will welcome the migrants arriving in the Big Apple.Fox News
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Texas Gov. Greg Abbott accused Democrats of causing a “historic and preventable crisis.”Fox NewsIn the governor’s announcement, his office pointed to New York City’s right to housing laws which require the local government to provide “emergency shelter for every unhoused person.”
Already, Adams has warned that the homeless shelters in the city are being overloaded with migrants.
Previous reporting by The Post confirmed a Department of Homeless Service intake center in the Bronx as well as the Bellevue men’s shelter in Manhattan have seen a growing number of migrants arrive in recent days.
City Hall Press Secretary Fabien Levy later told The Post, “Governor Abbott is finally admitting to what we’ve known he’s been doing all along. His continued use of human beings as political pawns is disgusting, and an embarrassing stain on the state of Texas.”
“New York will continue to welcome asylum seekers with open arms, as we have always have, but we are asking for resources to help do so. We need Washington, DC’s assistance in dealing with the cruel political games being played by inept politicians like the governor of Texas,” Levy added.
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Fox & friends interviews a migrant. Fox News
Last month, Adams claimed Texas and Arizona had already been transporting migrants to the Big Apple, and called on President Biden to provide federal resources to handle the influx.
However, that assertion was rejected by both Abbott and Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey, who insisted it was the federal government sending migrants to New York.
In response, Abbott invited Adams to visit the southern border to “see firsthand the dire situation.”
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The Post has previously reported that Manhattan shelters are experiencing a high volume of migrants seeking refuge.Fox News“Your recent interest in this historic and preventable crisis is a welcomed development – especially as the President and his Administration have shown no remorse for their actions nor desire to address the situation themselves,” Abbott said this week.
“As Governor, I invite you to visit our border region to see firsthand the fire situation that only grows more urgent with each passing day, and to meet with the local officials, who like yourselves, realize this matter deserves immediate federal action.”
Abbott reiterated his invitations to Adams and DC Mayor Muriel Bowser during an appearance on Fox News Thursday night.
“I really wish they would [come down] because public officials across the country, they do need to realize the magnitude of the chaos created by Biden’s open-border policies,” Abbott told host Jesse Watters. “They’re up in arms about a few thousand people coming into their communities over the past few months? Listen, in any one sector in the state of Texas, we have more than 5,000 people coming across [the border] in that sector every single day.”
“We’re full in the state of Texas,” Abbott added. “Our communities are overrun, and I started busing people to Washington DC, when local officials could not handle the number of people that had come across our border.”
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Texas Gov. Greg Abbott claimed the migrants can find shelter thanks to New York City’s housing laws. Fox NewsAll of the migrants who have arrived in Washington and New York via the governor’s bus transportation have gone there voluntarily, since they are permitted to travel within the US after being processed by Customs and Border Protection.
Typically, when migrants are released from federal custody after crossing the border and evading expulsion, they are given paperwork allowing them to stay in the US as well as an order to appear in immigration court when their cases can be heard.
In July, Bowser requested help from the National Guard to address the influx of migrants arriving in the city.
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Texas Gov. Greg Abbott argued he had no choice but to send the migrants to New York after sending busloads to Washington, DC.Fox News
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A migrant gives a thumbs up after arriving at the Port Authority Bus Terminal.Fox News“Our collective response and service efforts have now become overwhelmed,” Bowser wrote in a July 19 request to Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin.
“[O]ur homeless services system is already under great strain; and tragically, many families arrive in Washington, DC with nowhere to go, or they remain in limbo seeking onward destinations across the United States.
“With pledges from Texas and Arizona to continue these abhorrent operations indefinitely, the situation is dire,” the mayor added, “and we consider this a humanitarian crisis – one that could overwhelm our social support network without immediate and sustained federal intervention.”
First bus of migrants from Texas arrives in NYC, Abbott says (nypost.com)
