Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) is vowing to send more buses, as well as planes, carrying migrants to Washington, D.C.
“One thing is perfectly clear, and that is the Biden administration and a lot of leaders in Congress have no idea about the chaos they have caused by their open border policies,” Abbott told reporters on Wednesday.
He continued, “And they refuse to come down and see first hand and talk to the people who are really most adversely affected. And if they’re not going to come to the border, I’m going to take the border to them.”
The governor then referenced a bus that dropped off migrants in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday morning:
“They experienced, early this morning, exactly what communities in Texas experience every single day where the Biden administration is dropping off large groups of illegal immigrants from countries across the entire globe, leaving communities those communities to have to grapple with it.”
Finally, Abbott said, “We had the first busload arrive in Washington, D.C., today. There will be more that will be arriving whether by bus or plane so that Washington is going to have to respond and deal with the same challenges that we’re dealing with.”
Watch the video below:
TX Gov. Greg Abbott (R) on sending the first bus of migrants to D.C.:
— The Recount (@therecount) April 13, 2022
"If they're not going to come to the border, I'm going to take the border to them … Washington is going to have to respond and deal with the same challenges that we're dealing with." pic.twitter.com/bFYhTAR1t3
At an April 6 press conference, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) said the state would charter buses to send illegal immigrants to Washington, D.C.
When asked last week if the administration had plans to respond to busloads of migrants being sent to the capital, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said, “I’m not aware of what authority the governor would be doing that under.”
“I think it’s pretty clear that this is a publicity stunt. His own office admits that a migrant would need to voluntarily be transported. And he can’t compel them to because, again, enforcement of our country’s immigration laws lies with the federal government,” she added.
However, on Wednesday, the first busload of migrants arrived in Washington, D.C.
In case you missed it:
https://twitter.com/thejcoop/status/1514218671610241024
Later that day, Psaki was asked about her claim that Abbott’s pledge was a “publicity stunt.”
“Well, these are all migrants who have been processed by CBP and are free to travel,” Psaki responded.
She added, “So, it’s nice the state of Texas is helping them get to their final destination as they await the outcome of their immigration proceedings. And they’re all in immigration proceedings.”