Screenshot Courtesy of Walter Masterson / Twitter
On Saturday, Dec. 24—Christmas Eve—arrogant and self-centered Texas Governor Greg Abbott stooped low again by sending three busloads of immigrants to Vice President Kamala Harris’ residence in Washington, D.C., leaving them while temperatures dropped to the teens.
According to ABC 7, Abbott did the same thing months ago in September with two busloads going to Harris’ house. These actions are Abbott’s and other Republican governors’ tactics to pressure President Joe Biden’s administration to address immigration issues in border states.
Along with Abbott, other governors like Florida’s Ron DeSantis and Arizona’s Doug Ducey recently transported migrants to Democratic-run cities.
Organizations like Sanctuary DMV, Remora House DC, Food Not Bombs DC, HIPS, and Ward 4 Unhoused Advocacy responded to the immigrants’ basic needs—something these callous Republican governors couldn’t do—by providing warm food, clothes, blankets, hand warmers and more.
The Migrant Solidarity Mutual Aid Network addressed Abbott’s actions on Twitter early Christmas Day, highlighting that the recent pitiless response to immigration is nothing new.
“Tonight, on Christmas Eve (posted Dec. 25, 12:17 a.m.), Gov Abbott’s buses dropped off migrants at the VP’s house in the freezing cold,” the tweet read. “This is not new, it has been happening for 8 months. The Migrant Solidarity Mutual Aid Network has welcomed >200 buses carrying ~7k [people].”
The tweet continued, “While Abbott is a demon for sure, these folks have also been let down by the federal & local DC govt: 1) Busing folks from the border to other cities isn’t actually a bad thing if done right & for the right reasons! The federal govt needs to step up and formalize the process.”
The Council of the District of Columbia passed legislation that aims to help migrants bused to D.C. However, many are disappointed because it restricts them from homeless services.
On Dec. 20, Abbott wrote a letter to Biden demanding action at the borders.
“This terrible crisis for border communities in Texas is a catastrophe of your own making,” Abbot said in the letter. “These communities and the state are ill-equipped to do the job assigned to the federal government—house the thousands of migrants flooding into the country every day.”
The letter continued, “With perilous temperatures moving into the area, many of these migrants are at risk of freezing to death on city streets. The need to address this crisis is not the job of border states like Texas. Instead, the U.S. Constitution dictates that it is your job, Mr. President, to defend the borders of our country, regulate our nation’s immigration, and manage those who seek refuge here.”
Abbott urged Biden to avoid ending Title 42, enacted by former President Donald Trump, which allowed border security to expel migrants who crossed the border illegally.
In response to Abbott’s actions, White House deputy press secretary Abdullah Hasan shamed him for his “shameful stunt.”
“Governor 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 said in a statement. “This was a cruel, dangerous, and shameful stunt.”
Hasan continued, “As we have repeatedly said, we are willing to work with anyone—Republican or Democrat alike—on real solutions, like the comprehensive immigration reform and border security measures President Biden sent to Congress on his first day in office, but these political games accomplish nothing and only put lives in danger.”
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) released a statement affirming that their immigration and public health laws are still enforced and that the government was still ensuring safety at state borders.