This West Texas Town Sends Migrants to New York City

El Paso Border Patrol arresting migrantsScreenshot from Twitter

For the past few years, Texas has been in the news as migrants crossed the Texas-Mexico border and Donald Trump wanted to create a wall separating the two countries. And, recently, New York City has entered the picture as Governor Greg Abbott has bussed migrants to the city.

This West Texas town is now in this story as they have bussed migrants to New York as well.

The El Paso Office of Emergency Management (OEM) has bussed migrants to New York according to New York City Deputy Manager Mario D’Agostino on Thursday.

"OEM has sponsored charter buses to include a recent transport to New York City, this was the preferred destination for those without any means to travel."

He said this was done to:

"provide for the safety of the migrants from the elements and to preserve the community’s transitory hospitality shelter capacities so they may continue to serve our homeless community."

According to KFOX 14, the migrants from El Paso are not part of the same operation as the migrants that Governor Abbott is sending. According to El Paso's County Judge, the city is overrun with migrants as the numbers have increased to about 2,900.

3 migrants in El Paso apprehendedScreenshot from Twitter

El Paso Congresswoman Veronica Escobar met with D’Agostino, El Paso Mayor Oscar Leeser, El Paso County Judge Ricardo Samaniego, and Border Patrol Chief Gloria Chavez.

Samaniego said:

"There is a critical point where we are not able to process or take as many as they're processing. Before we could control [the situation], if things don't go well this will be the first time that we will be in a bit of a crisis over the weekend because the numbers have become much higher and due to volunteerism is down and space is down."

Then the migrants are just happy to finish their long travels.

A Venezuelan migrant named Roxeli said on the El Paso United Charters bus:

“It’s a journey that we never expected to experience. It was a rough environment. We had to cross oceans, rivers, jungles — countries where perhaps we weren’t welcome.”

“For a better future for our children, we’re capable of getting anywhere.”

Samaniego is not sure what is causing the increase in migrants where previously it was about 1,200 to now 2,700.

See this recent story about Governor Abbott labeling migrants here.

Should El Paso send the migrants to New York City?