Texas Republican Governor Greg Abbott has announced that the state has transported over 100,000 migrants to “sanctuary” cities across the United States, as part of a program aimed at relieving overwhelmed border towns. Governor Abbott made the announcement on social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, stating that until President Biden reverses his open border policies, Texas will continue transporting migrants to these cities.
The controversial program, which began in April 2022 with buses to Washington D.C., has since expanded to cities including New York City, Denver, Philadelphia, and Chicago. In response, both Chicago and New York City have implemented restrictions on charter buses coming to their cities. Last week, New York City Mayor Eric Adams filed a $700 million lawsuit against bus and transportation companies involved in migrant transport, accusing them of violating state law by not paying for the cost of caring for migrants.
Governor Abbott has faced criticism from Adams and other Democratic mayors, who argue that the program is a political stunt causing disruption. However, Abbott has dismissed these claims, stating that the numbers of migrants being sent to liberal cities are significantly smaller than the numbers seen at the Texas border. He has also called the lawsuit against the bus companies “baseless,” asserting that the migrants voluntarily traveled to New York City after being authorized by the Biden administration to remain in the United States.
The issue of migration at the border continues to be a contentious topic, with over 2.4 million migrant encounters reported in FY 2023. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas recently informed Border Patrol agents that “above 85%” of encountered migrants are being released into the U.S. interior.
Adam Shaw, a politics reporter for Digital, primarily covering immigration and border security, contributed to this article. For more updates on the 2024 campaign trail and exclusive interviews, subscribe to our newsletter.
Please note: The content of this article reflects the provided context and follows the requested tone.
