WASHINGTON, D.C., USA — Making good on a controversial promise, Gov. Abbott announced Wednesday the first bus of migrants from the Texas border has arrived in Washington, D.C.
Abbott tweeted "Biden refuses to come see the mess he’s made at the border. So Texas is bringing the border to him."
The migrant passengers were dropped off between Union Station and the United States Capitol, and a second bus is currently en route to Washington, D.C, a statement from Gov. Abbott's office said.
The bus was filled with migrants from Colombia, Cuba, Venezuela, and Nicaragua, officials said.
"As the federal government continues to turn a blind eye to the border crisis, the State of Texas will remain steadfast in our efforts to fill in the gaps and keep Texans safe," said Governor Abbott in a statement. "By busing migrants to Washington, D.C., the Biden Administration will be able to more immediately meet the needs of the people they are allowing to cross our border. Texas should not have to bear the burden of the Biden Administration’s failure to secure our border."
On April 6, Abbott announced a slew of new executive orders to address problems at the border, including bussing migrants to Washington D.C.
Abbott's orders come in response to the Biden administration eliminating Title 42, the public health policy the Trump administration started during the COVID-19 pandemic. It allows the government to quickly expel migrants and asylum seekers who come to the U.S. from countries where an infectious disease -- like COVID-19 -- is present.
"We have more people who will potentially be crossing our border illegally by the end of this year than live in Los Angeles, America's second largest city," Abbott said.
He added the Biden administration is already busing migrants to Texas cities up and down the border that don't have the resources to deal with the problem.
"They themselves have been putting these migrants on buses to San Antonio," Abbott said. "So I said I've got a better idea. As opposed to busing these people to San Antonio, let's continue the ride all the way to Washington, D.C."
Abbott also announced three other orders to tackle the problems at the border:
- Enhanced safety inspections for all vehicles entering Texas from Mexico
- Boat blockades along certain stretches of the Rio Grande River
- Razor wire in low water crossings in high traffic areas
The governor acknowledged stopping so many more vehicles at the border would have a significant negative impact on traffic, but he said it was necessary to curb the flow of unplanned immigration. That directive took effect on April 6.
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