EN 
ES 
HI 
ZH 
AR 
RU 
PT 
FR 
JA 
ZH_HK 
ZH_TW 
HT 
Opinion: Texas governor is cynically using immigrants as props
(CNN) – For weeks now, migrants have been arriving by the busload in New York City and Washington, sent there by Texas Republican Gov. Greg Abbott, in a cynical ploy that is overwhelming public services in both cities.
Abbott said he targeted the two cities run by Democrats quite deliberately. He is sending asylum-seekers north to draw attention to the influx of migrants in his state.
New York City officials said intake centers have received more than 4,000 migrants since late May. Since April, Abbott has sent another 6,000 migrants to Washington.
Washington was chosen because of its role as the seat of the US government, where federal immigration policy is forged. And in recent days, Abbott and New York Mayor Eric Adams have traded barbs over immigration, prompting the Texas governor to send many of his state’s migrants to the Big Apple.
“In addition to Washington, D.C., New York City is the ideal destination for these migrants, who can receive the abundance of city services and housing that Mayor Eric Adams has boasted about within the sanctuary city,” Abbott said in a statement. “I hope he follows through on his promise of welcoming all migrants with open arms so that our overrun and overwhelmed border towns can find relief.”
The Texas governor said that migrants are taking these bus rides voluntarily and that they sign a waiver of consent. (It is important to note that these asylum-seekers are exercising their right to claim humanitarian relief.) Adams, however, has said many of the migrants are being put on the northbound buses involuntarily.