Texas has spent more than $86 million dollars busing migrants out of its state and to self-declared sanctuary cities that claimed to welcome migrants with open arms, until they too became flooded with asylum-seekers.
At a cost of $1,650 per migrant, Texas has spent millions on the border transportation operation from April 2022 to October 2023, according to a report by Axios.
About 67,500 migrants have volunteered to board the state-run charters, according to the most recent number from the office of Texas Gov. Greg Abbott.
Migrants must sign a waiver saying they understand where they are being taken and they boarded the buses of their free will.
When Abbott started the program, he promised that Texas alone would not shoulder the burden of the border crisis.
Migrants board an Abbott bus in Del Rio, Texas headed for Chicago
Arriving from Brownsville, Texas, migrants arrive in New York where they will be processed at the Roosevelt Hotel
A legal waiver migrants must sign before boarding a Texas-funded bus
Texas Governor Greg Abbot attends the event for Republican presidential candidate and former U.S. President Donald Trump during his visit at the southern border in Edinburg, Texas, U.S. November 19
‘President Biden’s continued refusal to secure our border invites thousands of illegal crossings into Texas and our nation each day,’ said Governor Abbott.
‘Texas communities like Eagle Pass and El Paso should not have to shoulder the unprecedented surge of illegal immigration caused by President Biden’s reckless open border policies.’
New York has received the most migrants with 24,200 bused to the Big Apple since August 2022.
It’s still a drop in bucket compared to the 1.3 million migrants Texas received from October 2022 through this September, according to US Customs and Border Protection.
Since President Joe Biden took office in 2001, 3.8 million migrants have crossed the southern border into the Lone Star State.
When Abbott first sent buses to Gotham in August 2022, New York City Mayor Eric Adams spokesman told the media, ‘New York will continue to welcome asylum seekers with open arm.’
A year later, Adams had completely changed his tune.
‘I don’t see an ending to this. This issue will destroy New York City,’ Adams declared in September.
Leaders in the Big Apple then took the their about-face further, first busing migrants to Canada in February and more recently, offering to buy one-way tickets out of town for migrants who wanted to leave the five boroughs.
Texas, which shares a border with Mexico, has taken the brunt of the border crisis. Since 2001, roughly 3.8 million migrants have crossed into the Lone Star State, according to US Customs and Border Protection
In August 2022, NYC mayor Eric Adams welcome migrants welcomed asylum seekers bused in from Texas at Port Authority, saying he was proud New York is a shelter state
Hundreds of refugees slept outside the Roosevelt Hotel in August when the historic establishment was transformed into a migrant camp
Thousands of asylum seekers have been bussed to major cities from border states including Texas as unprecedented numbers continue to enter the United States
Chicago has gotten the second most migrants from Abbot’s buses– 19,700 since last August.
Washington, D.C. was the first city to receive migrants from Abbott, with the first busload dropped off near the offices of Fox News where TV cameras were rolling near the nation’s capitol in April 2022.
So far, 12,500 asylum-seekers have been dropped off in the capital city, including several busloads dropped off near the home of Vice President Kamala Harris– who was named the Border Czar by President Biden– on Christmas Eve 2022 and again in May.
‘Worthless @GovAbbott dropping off people with no money and no means on Christmas Eve in 15-degree weather near the VP’s residence,’ San Antonio Congressman Joaquin Castro slammed Abbott online.
‘How Christian of you, Greg Abbott,’ he added. ‘Being a heartless POS isn’t going to make you the next Republican President.’
Over 6,800 migrants to Denver has received since May.
The State of Colorado also bussed migrants to New York City and Chicago last winter before suspending its program, reported Politico.
Officials in all the receiving city have complained they did not get a heads up that migrants were headed their way.
The Mayor of Albuquerque says he expects to start receiving migrants from Texas after hearing from a charter company that works with Lone Star officials.
‘The Texas Governor’s gutless actions reflect his inability to lead during challenging times —we need solutions, not dangerous, life-threatening stunts,’ Mayor Tim Kelle said.