The second busload of migrants from the Texas border arrived in New York City on Sunday, and Mayor Eric Adams was there to greet them and slam Texas Gov. Greg Abbott.
“This is horrific when you think about what the governor is doing,” Adams said in a news conference, claiming that many of the migrants arriving were unaware they were heading to New York City.
“We’re finding that some of the families are on the bus that wanted to go to other locations, and they were not allowed to do so,” the mayor claimed. “They were forced on the bus with the understanding that they were going to other locations that they wanted to go to, and when they tried to explain they were not allowed to do so.”
“When you think about this country, a country that has always been open to those who were fleeing persecution and other intolerable conditions, we’ve always welcomed that,” Adams continued. “And this governor is not doing that in Texas, but we are going to set the right message, the right tone, of being here for these families.”
The bus that arrived Sunday was carrying around 40 migrants from the Texas border, of which only 14 had New York City as their final destination. The second bus followed a bus of about 50 migrants that arrived in New York City on Friday.
In May, Gov. Abbott instituted the program to offer voluntary bus rides to Washington D.C. to migrants who arrive at the Texas border, are processed by federal authorities, and are released from custody while they wait for immigration court proceedings.
On Friday, Gov. Abbott announced the arrival of the first bus of processed migrants from the Texas border in New York City, saying his state had to take action “[b]ecause of President Biden’s continued refusal to acknowledge the crisis caused by his open border policies.”
“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,” said Gov. Abbott. “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.”
On Sunday, Mayor Adams accused Gov. Abbott of using innocent people “as political pawns to manufacture a crisis.”
He complained that Gov. Abbott’s office was not giving New York City proper notice of when the migrants would be arriving.
“They’re not letting us know when the buses are leaving. They’re not letting us know, what are the needs of the people on the bus,” Adams said. “They are not giving us any information, so we’re unable to really provide the service to people en route.”
A statement provided to The Dallas Express from Gov. Abbott’s office refuted the claims made by Mayor Adams.
“What’s horrific is the thousands of illegal immigrants overrunning and overwhelming our border communities with populations smaller than a New York City borough, and Mayor Adams is hypocritically upset about welcoming a few dozen into his sanctuary city,” the statement read.
Gov. Abbott’s office specifically denied that migrants are being forced to get on buses without knowing where they are headed.
“These migrants willingly chose to go to New York City, having signed a voluntary consent waiver, available in multiple languages, upon boarding that they agreed on the destination,” the statement read. “If the mayor wants a solution to this crisis, he should call on President Biden to take immediate action to secure the border—something the President continues failing to do.”