Republican Texas Governor Greg Abbott has been bussing migrants who have crossed the U.S.-Mexico border and entered the Lone Star State to cities run by Democrats located in blue states.
Governor Abbott launched Operation Lone Star in March 2021 to respond to a rise in illegal immigration. On Wednesday, Abbott shared the latest tally of migrants he has bussed across the nation and vowed: “Texas will bus migrants to sanctuary cities until Biden secures the border.”
- Over 12,500 to DC (Mayor Muriel Bowser)
- Over 25,000 to New York City (Mayor Eric Adams, Gov. Kathy Hochul)
- Over 20,000 to Chicago (Mayor Brandon Johnson, Gov J.B. Pritzker)
- Over 3,200 to Philadelphia (Mayor-elect Cherelle Parker, Gov. Josh Shapiro)
- Over 7,400 to Denver (Mayor Mike Johnston, Gov. Jared Polis)
- Over 1,100 to Los Angeles (Mayor Karen Bass, Gov. Gavin Newsom)
That’s a total of 69,200.
Approaching a 70,000 milestone, Abbott declared: “Our mission provides vital relief to border towns.”
Texas will bus migrants to sanctuary cities until Biden secures the border.
— Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) November 29, 2023
Over 12,500 to DC
Over 25,000 to New York City
Over 20,000 to Chicago
Over 3,200 to Philadelphia
Over 7,400 to Denver
Over 1,100 to Los Angeles
Our mission provides vital relief to border towns.
Note: Abbott is expected to sign into law Senate Bill 4, which would make it a state misdemeanor to illegally cross the border, allow law enforcement to collect fingerprints and photographs of those crossing the border, and allow a judge to order an undocumented person to return to Mexico.
Following the Texas House of Representatives’ passage of Senate Bill 4, Republican Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick said in a statement: “The illegal crosser can be jailed or ordered by a magistrate to be returned to the border. If they violate the order and return to Texas, they will face even harsher penalties.”
Immigration law experts including César Cuauhtémoc García Hernández of the Ohio State University College of Law — and author of the new book Migrating to Prison: America’s Obsession with Locking Up Immigrants — say the state bill is “unconstitutional.”
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