New York City Mayor Eric Adams (D) backpedaled from implying Texas Governor Greg Abbott (R) was being racist for sending processed and released migrants from overwhelmed border towns to sanctuary cities of their choice.
"Can I ask you what you were saying about Greg Abbott, he’s been bussing thousands of migrants to the city, even today, busing thousands of migrants to this city. But you said this week, that he’s sending them to black-led cities. Your city, Washington, D.C., Chicago. Are you saying here that he is doing this because of the race of the mayor of the city?
"Well, let’s be clear here, it was placed in quotes on the front pages of our paper that I called him a racist...I never said that...What I'm making clear of the fact, not based on my opinion. He sent them to New York City, Washington, D.C., Chicago, Denver," Adams said.
Phillips then noted Abbott's busing program also includes Philadelphia, who has a white mayor.
"I have not received any reports from Philadelphia. I believe that he sent them to where black mayors are. I don’t know if it’s to undermine these large cities that are run by black mayors because of a political agenda. I don't know he's doing it for their race, but I’m giving the facts where he sent them to," Adams replied.
Under Gov. @GregAbbott_TX’s #OperationLoneStar, TX continues to support overwhelmed border communities by transporting migrants processed & released by @CBP.
— Seth W. Christensen (@christensen2023) May 4, 2023
Migrants voluntarily choose to be transported to:
✅New York
✅Chicago
✅Washington DC
✅Philadelphia#BorderCrisis https://t.co/7p8eiaS1Q1
The reason why the busing program has sent migrants to those cities is due to the cities mentioned having declared themselves to be a sanctuary city and it is the destination the migrants chose when they volunteer for the busing program.