Texas Republican Gov. Greg Abbott revealed Tuesday that his state has bused close to a whopping 16,000 illegal migrants to sanctuary cities over the course of 2022. One of the reasons this number is so staggering is because it’s just a tiny fragment of the total encounters border authorities have had this year thanks to the immigration crisis in the area, which has been unfolding ever since Joe Biden took over the presidency in January of 2021.
The Texas Republican posted the update on Twitter, along with details concerning the number of migrants that have been sent to each of the four cities.
“Texas has bused over 15,900 migrants to sanctuary cities,” Abbott tweeted.
Texas has bused over 15,900 migrants to sanctuary cities.
⁃ Over 8,900 to DC
⁃ Over 4,900 to NYC
⁃ Over 1,500 to Chicago
⁃ Over 630 to PhiladelphiaWe’re providing relief to local communities overwhelmed by President Biden’s open border policies.
— Gov. Greg Abbott (@GovAbbott) December 27, 2022
“We’re providing relief to local communities overwhelmed by President Biden’s open border policies,” he stated.
According to the Daily Wire, the state has sent 8,900 migrants via bus to the nation’s capital, which is the highest number sent to any of the sanctuary cities, says Abbott. And it’s pretty clear what he’s chosen to make Washington, D.C. the focal point of this program. It’s the political elite residing there that have refused to act on the border crisis and help alleviate the pressure states in that area of the country find themselves under due to the sheer number of illegal border crossings that are going unanswered.
“Abbott noted over 4,900 migrants who were bused to New York City, over 1,500 to Chicago, and over 630 to Philadelphia,” the report said. “The governor’s busing program made headlines on Christmas Eve when three busloads of migrants arrived at the residence of Vice President Kamala Harris.”
#HappeningNow the second bus of migrants has arrived here in D.C. near VP Kamala Harris’ home. They are boarding another bus taking them to a church. Was just told by someone helping bring them to the church that this bus came from Texas: pic.twitter.com/Sp4upqz1yB
— Christian Flores (@CFloresNews) December 25, 2022
“The migrants, which reportedly included some women and children, were dropped off in cold temperatures before being picked up by another bus and taken to a local church for assistance,” the Daily Wire said.
“Governor Abbott abandoned children on the side of the road in below-freezing temperatures on Christmas Eve without coordinating with any federal or local authorities,” White House spokesman Abdullah Hasan remarked, according to the New York Times. “This was a cruel, dangerous and shameful stunt.”
To give you perspective on just how small this close to 16,000 people is compared to the total number of individuals crossing the border, allow me to share some facts with concerning only the El Paso, Texas sector.
This sector, by itself, has reportedly experienced a surge of more than 2,400 migrants PER DAY, which is a 40 percent increase over already absurdly high numbers from October, Reuters reported. Data that is available to the public has also revealed more than 80,00 migrants have entered the El Paso sector over the course of the last four months.
“A recent update from Abbott’s Operation Lone Star effort to address the border crisis noted 336,000 migrant apprehensions in Texas alone since it began in March 2021. The apprehensions have included more than 23,000 criminal arrests,” the report stated. “In addition, the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) has seized over 354 million lethal doses of fentanyl during the operation.”
In October it was revealed that border officials have come into contact with over 2 million migrants this year. Last year, that number was 1.7 million. That’s is a rather dramatic increase, one that led to Abbott sending a letter to Biden in the early part of December, demanding that federal assets be sent to Texas ahead of the scheduled end of Title 42.
“These communities and the state are ill-equipped to do the job assigned to the federal government — house the thousands of migrants flooding into the country every day,” Abbott said in the letter.
“With perilous temperatures moving into the area, many of these migrants are at risk of freezing to death on city streets. The need to address this crisis is not the job of border states like Texas. Instead, the U.S. Constitution dictates that it is your job, Mr. President, to defend the borders of our country, regulate our nation’s immigration, and manage those who seek refuge here,” the letter continued.
Title 42 is a policy from the Trump administration that allowed Border Patrol units to turn away migrants in order to prevent the spread of COVID and was later kept by the Supreme Court.
“We will, of course, comply with the order and prepare for the Court’s review,” a statement released by White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre stated following the Supreme Court’s decision. “At the same time, we are advancing our preparations to manage the border in a secure, orderly, and humane way when Title 42 eventually lifts and will continue expanding legal pathways for immigration.”
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