A bus from Texas dropped off about 50 migrants exterior Vice President Kamala Harris’ residence on the Naval Observatory in Washington, D.C., on Thursday for the second time this week.
Most of the migrants — which embrace males, ladies and youngsters — instructed NBC Information that they got here from Venezuela. They have been seen carrying small white baggage with their solely possessions.
A younger man named Victor mentioned that he got here via “the jungle” earlier than arriving in Texas, and that he was given meals on the bus and was handled “very properly.” He mentioned he doesn’t have a closing vacation spot in thoughts, however is in search of a job. A majority of the migrants on the bus instructed NBC Information that they deliberate to go elsewhere as properly.
Volunteers from SAMU First Response, a world humanitarian nonprofit, have been available to help the migrants.
Busloads of undocumented migrants started arriving in liberal strongholds with out warning earlier this yr as Texas Gov. Greg Abbott and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, each of whom are Republicans working for re-election, have sought to make use of the tactic to name consideration to what they are saying are the Biden administration’s failed border insurance policies. Hundreds of migrants have since arrived in New York, Washington, Chicago and past, sending officers in these cities scrambling to supply a system of assist providers to them.
Abbott, who additionally despatched two buses of migrants to Harris’ neighborhood final month, began the migrant busing program to so-called sanctuary cities and was mimicked by DeSantis, who chartered two planes carrying about 50 migrants from San Antonio to Martha’s Winery, Massachusetts, a couple of weeks in the past. Migrants who have been a part of the journey have filed a class-action lawsuit towards DeSantis and different state officers, alleging they have been victims of fraud for political functions.
Democratic governors whose states are affected by the tactic have condemned Abbott and DeSantis for his or her actions. Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker issued an emergency declaration final month to grapple with almost 500 immigrants bused to Chicago by Abbott, mobilizing the state’s Nationwide Guard after he stood earlier than the media to name Abbott’s actions “disgusting.”
California Gov. Gavin Newsom additionally for the Justice Division to analyze DeSantis and Abbott for his or her actions.
