Democrats Criticize Gov Greg Abbott For Dropping Off Migrants Near Kamala Harris's Home

Democrats slammed Texas governor Greg Abbott for the late-night drop off of more than 100 migrants in freezing temperatures near Vice President Kamala Harris' home in Washington, D.C., on Christmas Eve.

On late Saturday evening, three buses carrying migrants from Texas arrived in Washington, D.C., reported Fox News. It included one bus which dropped its passengers near Harris' home. According to 7News reporter Christian Flores, the Migrant Solidarity Mutual Aid Network helped the migrants in taking them to a local church. Local organizers had expected the buses to arrive on Sunday, but found out Saturday that the group would reach Washington earlier than planned. The people who were on the bus included young children as well.

White House spokesperson Abdullah Hasan in a statement that Abbott abandoned "children on the side of the road in below-freezing temperatures on Christmas Eve without coordinating with any Federal or local authorities." He called it a "cruel, dangerous, and shameful stunt." He noted that they have repeatedly said that they are willing to work with anyone, be it a Republican or a Democrat alike, on "real solutions." He listed the "comprehensive immigration reform and border security measures President Joe Biden sent to Congress on his first day in office" as real solutions. But he said that these "political games accomplish nothing and only put lives in danger."

Democrat Texas Congressman, Joaquin Castro called Abbott "worthless" for "dropping off people with no money and no means on Christmas Eve in 15 degree weather near the VP’s residence." Congressman Ritchie Torres, also a Democrat, said that Abbott claims to be a "pro-life Christian," yet he shows "no regard for the lives of children," who were left "shivering in the freezing cold on Christmas Eve."

In a letter that Abbott sent to Biden last week, he cited freezing temperatures in cities like El Paso as his reason to transport the migrants. The migrant housing facilities have already reached its full capacity, and they were forced to release people outside onto the streets. The current border crisis was called a "catastrophe" by the Republican, and he added that Biden was solely responsible for it.

Renae Eze, a spokesperson for Abbott, issued a statement on Monday saying that the migrants had willingly chosen to go to Washington, D.C. They had signed a "voluntary consent waiver available in multiple languages upon boarding that they agreed on the destination." Eze also called the Biden administration hypocritical for its border policies. The spokesperson said that instead of their hypocritical complaints about Texas providing much-needed relief to their "overrun and overwhelmed border communities," Biden and Harris "need to step up." Eze added that they need to do their jobs to secure the border, "something they continue failing to do.”