Texas Gov. Greg Abbott on Monday defended the order to bus migrants outside of Vice President Kamala Harris' home in Washington, D.C., on Christmas eve in freezing temperatures.
The Republican lawmaker responded to criticism from the White House, saying that it was full of a "bunch of hypocrites, led by the Hypocrite-in-Chief." He argued that they made hypocritical complaints regarding Texas providing much-needed relief to the overrun and overwhelmed border communities.
Greg Abbott Defends Busing of Migrants
Abbott noted that United States President Joe Biden and "Border Czar Harris" need to step up and do their jobs to secure the southern border. He said that the leaders have failed to do so, said a spokesperson for Abbott, Renae Eze, in a statement.
The Texas governor has periodically been busing migrants from Texas for several months in a protest of the "reckless" federal border policies and to provide "relief" to border communities. In September, a Texas Division of Emergency Management spokesperson said that the state had already spent more than $12 million on the bus trips, including charter buses and security, as per ABC News.
On Sunday, the White House labeled the latest busing of migrants a "cruel, dangerous, and shameful stunt." An aid worker, Amy Fischer, who was outside Harris' residence at the Naval Observatory, said that 139 migrants, including many families, arrived on Saturday after traveling in three buses. She noted that none of them were wearing cold-weather gear despite the temperature in the teens.
Authorities subsequently took the migrants to an area church to keep them warm, said Fischer. Abbott's spokesperson, Eze, said on Monday that the migrants bused to Washington, D.C., chose to go and even signed a voluntary consent waiver that was available in multiple languages upon boarding that they agreed to their destination.
According to Reuters, White House authorities accused Abbott of endangering the lives of the migrants that were bused from Texas. There were an estimated 110 to 130 migrants seeking asylum that arrived near Harris' residence.
National Debate Over Border Policy
In a statement, White House spokesman Abdullah Hasan said that Abbott abandoned children on the side of the road in below-freezing temperatures on Christmas eve without coordinating with any federal or local authorities.
Hasan added that the "political games" that the Texas governor was playing did not accomplish anything and only put lives in danger. The situation comes as Texas has already bused thousands of migrants to several states, including Washington, New York City, and Chicago.
The situation is what some critics are labeling as a stunt amid a national debate over the high levels of immigrant arrivals song the United States' southern border. Previously, Abbott said that his state was purposefully busing migrants to sanctuary cities where police officials are discouraged from deporting them.
Democrats are now criticizing Republicans' actions against migrants and are taking aim at Abbott for the latest development in the national debate. It comes as many GOP members are urging the Biden administration to bolster its immigration policy. It was not the first time that migrants have been sent to the vice president's home, The Hill reported.
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