The first busloads of migrants arrived in Los Angeles from Texas Wednesday in what Mayor Karen Bass called a “despicable stunt” by Lone Star State Gov. Greg Abbott.
About 40 migrants that appeared to be families from Latin America and Haiti were seen getting off two buses as they headed to St. Anthony’s Croatian Church, Fox 11 reported.
Abbott, in a statement, insisted Texas officials were sending migrants where they want to go, noting Los Angeles is a “self-declared sanctuary city.”
It’s the latest major metro area in the US to take in migrants from Texas, with New York, Chicago and Washington, DC, also accepting tens of thousands of people over the past year.
“Texas’ small border towns remain overwhelmed and overrun by the thousands of people illegally crossing into Texas from Mexico because of President Biden’s refusal to secure the border,” the Republican stated.
“Los Angeles is a major city that migrants seek to go to, particularly now that its city leaders approved its self-declared sanctuary city status.
“Our border communities are on the frontlines of President Biden’s border crisis, and Texas will continue providing this much-needed relief until he steps up to do his job and secure the border.”
Bass, a Democrat, slammed Abbott, accusing him of playing politics.
“It is abhorrent that an American elected official is using human beings as pawns in his cheap political games,” she said in a statement.
“Shortly after I took office, I directed City Departments to begin planning in the event Los Angeles was on the receiving end of a despicable stunt that Republican governors have grown so fond of.”
Bass said the arrival did not catch the city off-guard. Emergency management, police, fire and other departments got wind of the arriving migrants before they reached the city and quickly worked with nonprofits to prepare, she said.
“Los Angeles is not a city motivated by hate or fear and we absolutely will not be swayed or moved by petty politicians playing with human lives,” Bass stated. “We are a city that seeks to treat all people with dignity and compassion.”
The migrants were expected to eventually move from the church to shelters, Fox 11 reported.
The Los Angeles City Council recently approved legislation that would make it a “sanctuary city” for immigrants, according to reports.
Sanctuary policies would be placed in the municipal code that prohibits “city resources, property, or personnel are used for federal immigration enforcement,” according to the City Council.
More than 21,000 migrants have been sent to cities around the country at the direction of Texas officials over the past year.