Texas Gov. Greg Abbott appears poised for a major victory in the border crisis, with President Joe Biden and Democrats in Washington likely to give in to Republican demands for a crackdown on migrants.
The Republican posted a post to X on Tuesday touting the success of his program to bus illegal migrants into Democratic-run cities.
He said his initiative amounts to moving nearly 100,000 migrants to cities like New York, Boston, Denver and Chicago – where leaders will be forced to find housing for them.
These Democratic-run areas describe themselves as “sanctuary cities” that welcome migrants.
But the New York Times reported that its mayors are so alarmed by the refugee crisis that they have asked the White House for help – with the president likely to make previously unthinkable concessions to Republicans on migration legislation.
What Republicans seem to have their sights on is a so-called “credible fear interview.”
That's an early hurdle for would-be asylum seekers who, according to the New York Times, would be sent back home much earlier in the migration process if people like Abbott got their way.
White House Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas is also considering rules that would allow for faster deportations of illegal immigrants, something that was seen as a pipe dream at the start of the Biden administration.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott appears poised for a major victory on the border crisis, while President Joe Biden and Democrats in Washington appear poised to give in to Republican demands for a crackdown on migrants
Republicans are demanding tough asylum restrictions and tying them to military funding for Ukraine and Israel – two big Biden priorities in an election year – in an attempt to persuade Democrats to make concessions.
Lawmakers from both parties, including Liberal mayors of major cities facing crises of their own, have called for more border funding.
As Abbott sent the 95,000 migrants to New York, Boston, Denver and Chicago, he said the problem was so extreme that more would be added.
“Sanctuary cities like NYC and Chicago have experienced only a fraction of what overwhelmed Texas border cities face daily,” Abbott wrote.
“We will continue our transportation mission until Biden changes course on his open borders policy.”
The past fiscal year under Biden's presidency saw the highest number of encounters at the border on record.
At least 2.4 million migrants streamed across the U.S. southern border in fiscal year 2023, and that number represents only the encounters that Border Patrol agents had — there are many illegal border crossers who did not come into contact with DHS officials.
While some liberals and big city mayors have called Abbott a political ploy, it appears to be paying off as President Joe Biden will consider negotiating more conservative policies at the border in Texas
Migrants pick up blankets near a migrant assistance center at St. Brigid Elementary School in New York City
Texas has transported over 95,000 migrants to sanctuary cities.
Sanctuary cities like NYC and Chicago have experienced only a fraction of what overwhelmed Texas border cities face on a daily basis.
We will continue our transportation mission until Biden changes course on his open borders policy.
– Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) January 2, 2024
That number of 2.4 million works out to an average of about 6,575 encounters per day, meaning it would take just over two full weeks for 95,000 illegal border crossers to enter the United States.
And many more make it across the border without ever being intercepted.
It comes at a time when the GOP in Washington is pushing private companies to do something about the problem.
Republican Congressman Matt Gaetz has written to Delta Airlines calling for an investigation into claims that its flights are flying migrants from the southern border into the US.
The Florida representative penned an open letter to CEO Ed Bastion on Friday asking for answers about how “non-resident aliens” can “book and travel” on Delta flights.
He explained that NGOs are using federal funds to purchase flights for migrants who may not have passed verification checks, posing a security risk.
“Even more concerning than American taxpayers footing the bill for transporting nonresident aliens into our communities is the fact that they may not be properly vetted,” Gaetz wrote.
“I am concerned that the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) may allow nonresident aliens to board flights, including those operated by Delta Airlines, using an alternative form of identification that meets a weaker standard than that used to verify the identity of Americans Citizen is used.” .'
Gaetz asked four questions of “high importance and grave concern” to which he is seeking immediate answers, including how many migrants were transported and how the airline pays for their tickets.
Republican Congressman Matt Gaetz is demanding answers from Delta Airlines over its alleged policy of flying illegal migrants into the United States
His request came after a Delta passenger and right-wing commentator claimed she saw migrants being flown from Arizona to New York on the same flight as her
He also asked whether there was an incentive for the airline to transport the migrants and what IDs would be accepted.
Despite the seemingly high number Abbott cites, it represents only a small fraction of the total number of unvetted aliens entering the United States each year.
Even some Democratic mayors say their cities are not equipped to handle such a large influx of migrants.
In New York City in particular, Mayor Eric Adams has repeatedly called on Abbott to stop shipping migrants to the Big Apple, where downtown locals have been appalled for nearly a year by the number of migrants, some of whom are being housed in formerly expensive cosmopolitan hotels .
Adams announced Thursday that he is suing 17 charter bus companies in Texas for $708 million to stop the state's governor, Greg Abbott, from taking the migrants from the Lone Star State to New York.
Adams is seeking millions for the resources New York City has spent providing housing and services for thousands of asylum seekers, putting a strain on the city's schools, housing system and budget over the past 18 months.
City officials claim that the Texas governor has transported more than 33,000 migrants from his city to the Big Apple since the refugee crisis began in spring 2022.
Adams' office said the bus charter actions were a violation of New York's social services law, CBS News reported.
New York City Mayor Eric Adams announced Thursday that he is suing 17 charter bus companies in Texas for $708 million to stop Texas Gov. Greg Abbott from sending migrants from the Lone Star State to New York City York to transport
Dozens of migrants line up at Shelby Park in Eagle Pass, Texas, waiting to board a charter bus
“New York City has and will always do its part to address this humanitarian crisis, but we cannot let the state of Texas bear the costs of reckless political machinations alone,” Adams said.
“Today’s lawsuit should serve as a warning to anyone who breaks the law in this way.”
“Texas Governor Abbott’s continued use of migrants as political pawns is not only chaotic and inhumane, but it also shows that he is putting politics over people,” the mayor continued.
In a statement, Abbott responded angrily to the lawsuit and said the mayor could face his own legal consequences.
“This lawsuit is without merit and deserves sanction.” “It is clear that Mayor Adams knows nothing about the Commerce Clause of the U.S. Constitution or the constitutional right to travel recognized by the U.S. Supreme Court,” he wrote.
“Every migrant brought to New York City by bus or plane did so voluntarily after receiving permission from the Biden administration to remain in the United States.” As such, they have the constitutional authority through the To travel to the country where Mayor Adams is interfering. If the mayor persists with this lawsuit, he may be held legally responsible for his violations.”
Adams received support from New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, who also accused Abbott of using “people as political pawns” in a separate statement.
“It is time for the companies that enable his actions to take responsibility for their role in this ongoing crisis.”
22-year-old Maria Silva (center) from Venezuela carries her belongings to a bus in front of the 6th District police station before entering, along with other migrants who had been staying at the station, on Wednesday, December 13, 2023 accommodation is brought to Chicago
After processing in El Paso, Texas, migrants are loaded onto buses and shipped to Denver, Colorado
“We're approaching somewhere between 2,500 and a high of 4,000 per week,” Adams said in an interview Tuesday, in which he also stated unequivocally that NYC has “no more room for the incoming migrants.”
“We didn’t just say in passing that we no longer have space,” Adams replied, referring to the more than 161,000 migrants who have arrived since spring 2022 and have sought city help.
“We literally have no room left,” said the Democrat.
“At some point people will be sleeping on the streets.”
Longtime Fox 5 host Rosanna Scotto asked Adams what exactly it would take for him to “close the front door to more migrants” as city leader.
Adams responded that he simply could not because of laws that prohibit both state and local officials from enforcing federal immigration laws.
“I don’t have the authority to tell people they can’t come to New York City,” Adams said.
When Scotto asked him why not, he replied somewhat angrily: “That's against the law.”
Migrants in El Paso stand in front of a church and ask for food and anyone who wants to take them with them
Migrants, including women and children, are preparing to cross the Rio Grande to reach the United States border and seek humanitarian asylum in Ciudad Juárez
Adams is seeking millions for the resources New York City has spent providing housing and services for thousands of asylum seekers, putting a strain on the city's schools, housing system and budget over the past 18 months
He added that he doesn't believe NYC is currently enforcing its “sanctuary” status the way it was originally intended, but his hands are legally tied.
“We can’t tell anyone by law that if they come to town, you can’t come to town,” he said. “We can’t even turn them over to ICE.”
During the administration of Adams' progressive predecessor Bill De Blasio, the former mayor signed a series of laws that drastically limited the city's cooperation with the federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency.