Texas governor sends migrant bus to Los Angeles

Greg Abbott said he took action «due to President Biden's refusal to secure the border.» Photo: AP

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott on Wednesday said the first batch of migrants busted from his state to Los Angeles had arrived in the California city, in the latest move by Republicans opposed to Joe Biden's immigration policies.

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, a Democrat, said more than 40 migrants had arrived in the city and called the bus ride «a despicable stunt that Republican governors have come to love.»

Texas transported over 40 people by bus. 21,000 migrants to Washington, New York, Chicago and other cities since 2022, in what some critics called a ploy amid a national debate over the large number of immigrants arriving along the southern border.

Two flights in recent weeks migrants landed in California's capital Sacramento as state officials investigated Florida's role in transporting them from Texas through New Mexico, according to the California Attorney General's Office.

«Texas small border towns continue to be crowded and overrun with thousands of people illegally entering Texas from Mexico due to President Biden's refusal to secure the border,» Mr. Abbott said in a statement.

«Los Angeles — Big City. where migrants aspire to, especially now that the city has approved its self-proclaimed sanctuary city status.”

Texas has just landed its first migrant bus in Los Angeles.

Small Texas border towns remain overrun by & stunned that Biden refuses to guard the border.

Los Angeles is a city that migrants aspire to, especially now that its leaders have approved its self-proclaimed safe haven status.

— Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) June 14, 2023

Sanctuary cities are adopting policies designed to build trust between local authorities and migrants, regardless of their immigration status, and limit their cooperation with federal authorities in enforcing immigration laws.

City Council proposed bill June 9 recognized Los Angeles as a «true sanctuary city,» as one of his supporters, council member Younices Hernandez, tweeted.

Ms. Bass said the city was not taken by surprise and found, about the trip, when the bus was already en route, allowing officials to mobilize police, fire and other units before the bus arrived.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom called Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis earlier this month, a «little, pathetic man» for arranging migrant flights to California.

Mr. Newsom and other state officials have suggested that California may be prosecuted after two flights that brought migrants to Sacramento.

>Mr. DeSantis last September sent two planeloads of illegal immigrants to Martha's Vineyard, a wealthy Massachusetts island home to Barack Obama and many celebrities.