Texas Claims to Have Already Bussed 50,000 Migrants to Sanctuary Cities

Over the past year and a half, Texas has bussed more than 50,000 migrants and asylum seekers to sanctuary cities across the country, according to state data given to media outlet Axios.

The program began in April 2022 as Governor Greg Abbot claimed that the state did not have the resources to handle the flux of migrants entering the country from the southern border. Chicago, New York City and Washington D.C. have been the top destinations for the bussed migrants: according to Texas data, 18,500 people have been sent to New York, 13,000 to Chicago and 12,500 to D.C. Now those cities, along with others, are struggling to provide shelter to the arriving migrants, especially as the trend is set to continue.

In Chicago, an additional $30 million is being allocated to open new shelters as migrants have been sleeping outside police stations. New York City's mayor, Eric Adams, on the other hand, traveled to Latin America to dissuade migrants from making the treacherous journey up north.

While cities continue to shelter migrants and asylum seekers, Texas and other states are expected to ramp up their bussing programs and send more migrants to sanctuary cities.

Chicago expects to see up to 25 buses of migrants a day over the next couple of months as the city will host the 2024 Democratic National Convention. Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker even petitioned President Biden and his staff for additional help with the migrant situation.

The number of migrants crossing into the U.S. has also increased pressure on the federal government. In September, more than 200,000 migrants unlawfully crossed into the U.S. from the southern border and set a record for more crossing in a month. Last week, President Biden waived several environmental protections to allow the construction of a border wall along the U.S., Mexico border.