New York City Mayor Eric Adams blasted Texas Gov. Greg Abbott on Sunday after the Republican sent another bus of illegal immigrants to the Big Apple.
“This is horrific, when you think about what the governor is doing,” he said early Sunday at the Port Authority bus terminal where the illegal immigrants were arriving.
Some of the families on the bus did not want to go to New York City, he said.
"We're finding that some of the families are on the bus that wanted to go to other locations, and they were not allowed to do so," the mayor said. "They were forced on the bus with the understanding that they were going to other locations that they wanted to go to, and when they tried to explain they were not allowed to do so."
Adams accused Abbott of using the illegal immigrants as “political pawns.”
.@GregAbbott_TX used innocent people as political pawns to manufacture a crisis. New Yorkers are stepping up to fix it — that’s our city’s values.
— Mayor Eric Adams (@NYCMayor) August 7, 2022
But we need the federal government’s help — money, technical assistance and more. pic.twitter.com/cOdXrULpcC
About 14 illegal immigrants were dropped off early on Sunday, following a bus on Friday that brought 50 migrants to the city.
“It is unimaginable what the governor of Texas has done, when you think about this country, a country that has always been open to those who were fleeing persecution,” Adams said. “We’ve always welcomed them. And this governor is not doing that in Texas. But we are going to set the right tone of being here for these families.”
Since May, about 4,000 illegal immigrants have entered the city’s shelter system.
Abbott said Friday New York City’s sanctuary status makes it the ideal destination for migrants.
“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."