Philadelphia receives first bus of migrants transported from Texas
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott speaks on Oct. 27, 2022, in Katy, Texas. Photo: Brandon Bell/Getty Images
The first bus carrying migrants from Texas to Pennsylvania has arrived in the sanctuary city of Philadelphia.
The big picture: Under a controversial move to relocate undocumented migrants, thousands have already been transported from Texas to predominantly Democrat-run cities in other parts of the U.S. in a bid to test the cities' social safety nets and challenge President Biden's border policies.
Driving the news: The migrants were dropped off at Philadelphia's 30th Street Station Wednesday morning, AP reported.
- The bus arrived shortly after 6 a.m. and was met by city officials and community organizations, per CBS Philadelphia.
- Philadelphia City Council member Helen Gym told CBS Philadelphia that there were around 28 migrants on the bus, including a 10-year-old child who was sick.
- "There's a 10-year-old who’s completely dehydrated. It’s one of the more inhumane aspects that they would put a child who was dehydrated with a fever now, a very high fever (on the bus)," Gym told AP. "It's a terrible situation."
What they're saying: Philadelphia city officials said Texas government officials did not inform them of the transport or coordinate with them about it.
- "As a proud welcoming city, we will greet our newly arrived neighbors with dignity and respect," Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney said in a statement Tuesday.
- But, "It is truly disgusting to hear today that Governor Abbott and his Administration continue to implement their purposefully cruel policy using immigrant families—including women and children—as pawns to shamelessly push his warped political agenda," Kenney continued.
- "Sadly, racism and human cruelty have historically been intertwined in how immigrants are received by and within this country, something the previous presidential administration openly and actively encouraged," he added.
Meanwhile, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) said in a news release earlier Tuesday that "Since April, Texas' busing strategy has successfully provided much-needed relief to our border communities overwhelmed by the historic influx of migrants caused by President Biden's reckless open border policies."
- "Until the Biden Administration does its job and provides Texans and the American people with sustainable border security, Texas will continue doing more than any other state in the nation's history to defend against an invasion along the border, including adding more sanctuary cities like Philadelphia as drop-off locations for our busing strategy."
Of note: New York and Washington, D.C., have become overwhelmed with the influx of migrants coming from Texas, saying they're not prepared to handle it.
- The Lone Star state has spent more than $12 million to relocate over 10,000 migrants out of Texas under the controversial program.
Go deeper: What we know about Texas and Florida's transport of migrants
