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Democrat Mayor Has a Surprising Plan as Migrant Buses Begin Arriving in NJ

Leah Barkoukis
Leah Barkoukis  |  January 09, 2024 8:00 AM

New Jersey has now become stuck in the middle of Texas Gov. Greg Abbott’s migrant busing operation that’s sent tens of thousands of illegal border crossers to New York City. In order to work around Mayor Eric Adams’s recent executive order regulating the arrival of buses, some operators have instead made the Garden State their final destination, where migrants can then hop on a train into the Big Apple.

While New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy is now asking bus companies for advance notice like Adams and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson have done, one Democrat mayor in the state took a different approach, issuing a strong defense of his community.

"I want to be very clear – if any bus, train or plane of illegal migrants come to Edison, I have instructed our law enforcement and emergency management departments to charter a bus to transport the illegal migrants right back to the southern Texas/Mexican border," Edison Mayor Sam Joshi said on Facebook after reports surfaced of buses beginning to arrive in the Garden State.

"Over the years I have expressed my disagreement with the concept of ‘sanctuary’ cities and states and I won't allow Edison to be subjected to its consequences. Our border policies need to be strengthened to stop illegal migrants from entering our country," he continued. "Edison is a municipality with a significant immigrant population and I will continue to support only legal immigration."

Following predictable criticism, the mayor posted a video message explaining further. 

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"My responsibility as mayor is to the residents and taxpayers of this municipality,” Joshi said. “Over the last several days I have been made aware of at least two buses filled with undocumented migrants arriving in Edison. We are all aware that these migrants are faced with very difficult and dangerous situations abroad. That being said there is a standard by which our tax dollars have to be fairly distributed and Edison does not have the financial resources or social service resources required. We cannot afford to put them in long term hotel stays or provide housing or educational services to our already overcrowded schools.”  

He added: "I'm mindful of the many barriers and challenges that the immigration process may bring, especially as my own family members, the majority of my friends and much of the Edison community went through it legally themselves. Immigration is a responsibility of the federal government, including its shortfalls which cannot be filled by our municipality or simply passed off to another mayor. It must be addressed at the national level.” 

"We have a responsibility to protect Edison while still holding empathy and understanding for those trying to find a better home. This burden, however, will not fall on our residents and taxpayers" the mayor said.