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Migrants: Busloads of immigrants were transported to and dropped off in front of Vice President Kamala Harris’ home in Washington, DC, on Christmas Eve.
When the bus departed, the refugees were left outside in the 18 degree weather.
The event is the most recent in a line of heated talks between state authorities and the Biden administration concerning American immigration law.
The news
Three buses carrying refugees arrived at Kamala Harris’ home at the Naval Observatory on Saturday night.
Despite their lack of preparation for the extreme weather, the neighborhood grassroots organization Migrant Solidarity Mutual Aid Network welcomed the refugees.
The conflict
The Biden administration sought to overturn the pandemic era policy earlier this year, which authorized the US to refuse entry to immigrants.
Then, state governors began transporting immigrants to Washington, DC.
In order to get refugees and immigrants to Washington, DC, the governors of Texas and Arizona started busing them there.
Both the local and federal governments were absent when they arrived at the location in August.
Greg Abbott, the governor of Texas, gave an explanation of why he dispatched the buses, saying that the Biden administration wanted to overturn the Title 42 ruling that allowed the US to refuse entrance to migrants.
In just one month, 6,100 migrants, according to Abbott’s government, were transported to Washington, DC, and a second bus later arrived in New York City.
“In addition to Washington, DC, New York 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,” Abbott said.
“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.”
Greg Abbott claimed that his state knowingly transfers migrants to sanctuary areas, where it is illegal to remove them forcibly.
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Criticism
Amy Fischer, a member of the Migrant Solidarity Mutual Aid Network, criticized Abbott’s conduct in an interview with NPR’s All Things Considered on Sunday.
According to Fischer, the Texas governor’s actions “were rooted in racism and xenophobia.”
“At the end of the day, everybody who arrived here last night was able to get free transportation, on a charter bus, that got them closer to their final destination,” she said.
Chris Magnus, a member of the US Customs & Border Protection Commission, criticized Abbott’s plan to relocate migrants in April for lacking sufficient engagement with the federal government and the nearby border towns.
The border
Two busloads of migrants arrived at Kamala Harris’ home in September.
After Harris stated in an interview that the border was secure, the buses arrived.
“The border is secure, but we also have a broken immigration system, particularly over the last four years before we came in, and it needs to be fixed,” she said.
More than 8,700 people have been transported from the Texas border to Washington, DC, since December 22.
An additional 6,520 were sent to New York, Chicago, and Philadelphia, according to Greg Abbott’s office.
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Abbott’s letter
The following letter was sent by the governor of Texas to President Joe Biden on December 20:
“Dear President Biden: With cold temperatures gripping Texas, your inaction to secure the southern border is putting the lives of migrants at risk, particularly in the City of El Paso.”
“With thousands of men, women, and children illegally crossing into Texas every day, and with the expectation that those numbers will only increase if Title 42 expulsion end, the state is overburdened as we respond to this disaster caused by you and your administration.”
“Your policies will leave many people in the bitter, dangerous cold as a polar vortex moves into Texas.”
“This terrible crisis for border communities in Texas is a catastrophe of your own making.”
“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.”
“With perilous temperatures moving into the area, many of these migrants are at risk of freezing to death on city streets.”
“Texas has borne a lopsided burden caused by your open border policies. The need to address this crisis is not the job of border states like Texas.”
“Instead, the US 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.”
“While you must step up and perform your constitutional duties, I will continue my work with the Texas Department of Public Safety, the Texas Division of Emergency Management, the Texas Military Department, and all other available state assets to protect Texas from the torrent of migrants and cartel activity streaming into our state.”
“You and your administration must stop the lie that the border is secure and, instead, immediately deploy federal assets to address the dire problems you have caused.”
“You must execute the duties that the US Constitution mandates you perform and secure the southern border before more innocent lives are lost.”
References:
Busloads of migrants dropped off at Kamala Harris’s home on Christmas Eve
GOP governors sent buses of migrants to DC and NYC – with no plan for what’s next
