Texas Governor Greg Abbott Criticizes NYC Mayor Adam’s Lawsuit Over Immigrant Buses
Texas Governor Greg Abbott has denounced a multi-million dollar lawsuit filed by New York City Mayor Eric Adams against charter bus companies transporting immigrants to NYC. Governor Abbott labeled the lawsuit as baseless and stated that Mayor Adams has a lack of knowledge about the Commerce Clause of the U.S. Constitution and the constitutional right to travel. The governor argued that the migrants being transported voluntarily traveled to NYC with authorization from the Biden administration, thereby having the constitutional authority to travel. He warned that if the mayor persists with the lawsuit, he may face legal consequences for his violations.
The lawsuit, filed on January 4, targets 17 charter bus and transportation companies that Texas used to send immigrants to New York City. According to the lawsuit, the transportation companies implemented Governor Abbott’s plan to bus immigrants without regard for their well-being or managing the humanitarian crisis. The city is seeking $708 million in compensation, covering expenses such as shelter, food, and healthcare for immigrants.
The lawsuit mentions that since August 2022, Texas has sent over 33,600 immigrants to NYC as part of Operation Lone Star, initiated by Governor Abbott in response to increased illegal immigration. Mayor Adams contends that the companies transporting immigrants have failed to cover the cost of their continued care, which places an overwhelming burden on the city’s social services system and violates New York’s Social Services Law.
Mayor Adams stated that New York City has consistently fulfilled its responsibility to manage the humanitarian crisis. However, the city cannot bear the costs resulting from Texas’s alleged political ploys alone. He argued that the companies violated state law by neglecting to pay for migrants’ care, prompting the lawsuit to recoup the approximately $700 million spent on migrants in the past two years by Texas. The mayor criticized Governor Abbott for using migrants as political pawns and underlined that today’s lawsuit serves as a warning against those who break the law in such a manner.
This lawsuit follows Mayor Adams’s recent warning that the city would face difficulties in finding space to accommodate illegal immigrants, resulting in them sleeping on the streets. He has called on the Biden administration to provide more assistance amid the ongoing crisis. In an effort to address the situation, the mayor issued an executive order to tighten regulations on charter bus companies transporting immigrants from Texas, requiring them to notify the city’s Emergency Management Office in advance.
Chicago has also taken similar measures, impounding buses sent by Texas to drop off illegal immigrants. The situation highlights the challenges faced by cities as they grapple with the influx of immigrants and the associated costs.
As the debate between Texas and New York City continues, the impacts of the lawsuit and the ongoing immigration crisis are yet to be fully realized. The outcome of this legal battle will be closely watched by immigration advocates and policymakers across the country.
