Texas Governor Greg Abbott has issued a warning to the Biden administration, promising to send "even more buses" of migrants to cities, including Washington, D.
C., if the reported plan to keep migrants in Texas goes ahead. Abbott's statement comes as the administration faces pressure from left-wing officials in cities like New York City over the influx of migrants.
Abbott took to X, formerly known as Twitter, to express his concerns about the potential Department of Homeland Security policy. He stated, "Biden considers forcing migrant families to remain in Texas. This scam was tried years ago & was shot down by a judge. We will send Biden the same swift justice." Abbott added, "And, we will add even more buses of migrants to Washington D.C."
The Los Angeles Times reported that the proposed policy would involve tracking illegal immigrant family units with GPS monitoring devices, including ankle bracelets, to ensure they remain in Texas. These families would then go through an asylum process to determine if they can stay in the country.
If not, their proximity to the border would make deportation easier. The Times noted that this plan echoes a Reagan-era policy that required migrants to stay near the border while their applications were being considered.
While this policy aligns with conservative arguments that migrants should be detained or closely monitored for quick deportation, it would also put pressure on the Republican-led state and likely face objections from lawmakers. The program would expand on the Family Expedited Removal Program, which already imposes curfews and monitors family units that have traveled to large cities.
In response to the report, a spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) stated that the administration is committed to expanding safe and orderly pathways for migrants to enter the United States legally, while imposing consequences on those who fail to do so. The spokesperson highlighted that since May 2023, DHS has removed or returned over 200,000 individuals, including over 17,000 family unit members.
The proposed policy comes at a time when Democratic officials in Massachusetts, Chicago, and New York City have been vocal about the influx of migrants into their jurisdictions. Governor Abbott has been busing migrants to self-declared sanctuary cities since last year, including over 13,300 to New York City since August 2022. New York City Mayor Eric Adams has been particularly outspoken, calling on the Biden administration to take more action. Adams warned that the crisis threatens to "destroy New York City," as the city has seen over 100,000 migrants enter its shelter system since last year.
During a Town Hall meeting on the Upper West Side, Adams expressed his concerns about the impact of the crisis on the city's finances and services. He stated, "Let me tell you something, New Yorkers. Never in my life have I had a problem that I did not see an ending to. I don't see an ending to this. This issue will destroy New York City. Destroy New York City. We're getting 10,000 migrants a month." Adams emphasized that the city's $12 billion deficit will lead to cuts in services that will impact all residents.
Meanwhile, the crisis at the southern border continues, with numbers rising to around 183,000 in July and multiple Border Patrol sectors nearing or reaching capacity. Republicans, including Governor Abbott, have blamed the administration's policies for the ongoing crisis.
Democrats and the administration have called for more funding and a comprehensive immigration reform bill, which Republicans have rejected due to the inclusion of a pathway to citizenship for illegal immigrants already in the U.S.
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