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Updated Apr 6, 2022 - Politics & Policy

Abbott: Texas to send migrants to Washington, D.C., on charter buses

Ivana Saric

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) said during a press briefing Wednesday that the state intends to provide charter buses from Texas to send migrants to Washington, D.C.

Driving the news: Abbott's announcement follows the Biden administration's decision to end the use of Title 42 next month, a pandemic-era public health policy used by both the Trump and Biden administrations to rapidly expel migrants at the border.

  • The end of Title 42 is expected to potentially fuel an increase in migrants. The government has a sweeping contingency plan, preparing for a worst-case scenario of up to 18,000 migrants being taken into custody each day, Axios' Stef Kight reports.
  • Abbott said the state has upward of 900 buses at its disposal to reroute migrants to Washington, and he called the possible influx in illegal immigration "unprecedented and dangerous."
  • The plan to transport migrant to D.C. will also include chartering flights, per a press release from Abbott's office.
  • These steps are being taken because the Department of Homeland Security "has no plan for addressing the anticipated surge of illegal immigrants when Title 42 expulsions end, and because DHS is expected to release large groups of migrants into Texas communities," the press release added.

What he's saying: "To help local officials whose communities are being overwhelmed by hordes of illegal immigrants who are being dropped off by the Biden administration, Texas is providing charter buses to send these illegal immigrants who have been dropped off by the Biden administration to Washington, D.C.," Abbott said.

  • "We are sending them to the United States capital where the Biden administration will be able to more immediately address the needs of the people that they are allowing to come across our border," he added.
  • Asked where in Washington, D.C., migrants will be taken, the Republican governor said, "The first location will be the steps of the United States Capitol.”

Editor's note: This story has been updated with additional information from Abbott's office that the plan includes flights and migrants must volunteer to be transported.

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