Staff Reports
In a daring move that has ruffled the plumage of Democratic officials, Texas Governor Greg Abbott has been transporting migrants from the southern U.S. border to cities including New York, Washington, and Chicago for more than a year. Local authorities are in an uproar over the influx of destitute and jobless newcomers, claiming that the situation is unsustainable.
After sending busloads of migrants to NYC, Texas governor visits city to fault Biden for crisishttps://t.co/dk8XjGQ0I5 pic.twitter.com/XR5KHSYsip
— The Washington Times (@WashTimes) September 28, 2023
However, during a breakfast event sponsored by the Manhattan Institute, a conservative think tank, the Republican Abbott pointed the finger of blame squarely at President Joe Biden. Abbott argued that the Biden administration is responsible for the influx of migrants into New York, not Texas. He explained that his decision to implement the busing program was in response to the dire circumstances of small Texas border communities that lacked the resources to manage the influx of border crossers. Abbott characterized the situation at the frontier as a crisis and urged the president to enforce the laws that give the White House the authority to reject migrants.
Abbott emphasized that until the federal government takes action to secure the border, Texas will continue to use every available weapon. Recent measures instituted by Texas include the placement of buoys in the Rio Grande, which Governor Abbott jokingly referred to as a "floating border wall" Along the frontier, razor wire has also been uncoiled. In addition, Texas has borne the cost of bus tickets for approximately 42,000 migrants seeking new livelihoods in other states, including 15,800 individuals sent to New York City since the spring of 2022. However, it is believed that the number of migrants heading to the northeast is significantly greater, as many have traveled there independently or with the aid of social service organizations and local governments.
While the Democratic mayor of New York City, Eric Adams, has criticized the federal government for not doing enough to assist with the costs associated with assimilating the influx of migrants, he has also pointed the finger at Abbott. Kayla Mamelak, a spokesperson for Adams, accused Abbott of using migrants as "political pawns." Abbott refuted the claim by stating that, unlike New York, Texas is not notified in advance of bus arrivals, and the pandemonium at the border is far worse than in the city. Abbott emphasized that New York has only dealt with a small proportion of the migrant crisis that Texas has faced over the years.
Additionally, the White House has commented on the situation. Abbott, according to White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre, is using the border crisis as a "political stunt." Jean-Pierre cited the $140 million in aid provided by the federal government to New York City, despite the city's request for additional aid. In addition, the Biden administration recently granted temporary protected status to hundreds of thousands of Venezuelan asylum applicants, accelerating their ability to work legally in the United States.
This is not just a problem for Texas; other U.S. cities are also contending with an influx of migrants fleeing poverty, violence, or oppression in their home countries. In San Diego, for example, the county's board of supervisors has declared asylum-seeker border crossings a "urgent humanitarian crisis" and is requesting more aid from the White House. Since September 13, authorities have been delivering migrants to transit centers in San Diego and its environs. These migrants are then dispersed across the nation to join other migrants, family members, or acquaintances.
The International Organization for Migration has urged Mexico and Central American nations to assist with the "unprecedented number of vulnerable migrants" traversing the region. Clearly, long-term solutions are required to address the root causes that compel individuals to abandon their home countries.
