Texas Governor Greg Abbott had announced that Philadelphia would be the next destination for migrants the state has been transporting from the US-Mexico border to places led by Democrats.
And he fulfilled it with the arrival in Philadelphia of a bus with 28 immigrants, including a 10-year-old girl who suffered from dehydration and a high fever, transferred to a hospital for treatment.
Before Philadelphia, Texas officials had already bussed more than 13,000 immigrants to Washington DC, New York and Chicago, three cities with sanctuary policies.
Immigrant advocates immediately welcomed them. They reported that the families and individuals came from Colombia, the Dominican Republic and Cuba.
“In general, people feel relieved. We want them to know they have a home here,” said Philadelphia City Council member Helen Gym, who escorted several migrants to a bus that took them to a site where their needs could be assessed and conditions improved.
“Seeking asylum is a human right,” he said. “Our country has always welcomed people who seek refuge here, and we have prospered because of it. Our city and our country are stronger when we embrace and welcome people seeking a better life.”
“The important thing is that they arrived in Philadelphia and were welcomed with open arms,” said Emilio Buitrago of the nonprofit organization Casa de Venezuela. “The children were scared, exhausted, tired.” Now they will go to a place where they will have comfortable and warm beds, with a blanket and hot food. From there, we will work on your relocation. Some of the families are hoping to join relatives or friends in other states,” Gym said.
Critics have decried Abbott’s actions as politically motivated, but Texas voters last week awarded him a third term as governor in his race against Democrat Beto O’Rourke. Abbott made a series of hardline immigration measures the centerpiece of his campaign. Nearly 6 in 10 Texas voters supported his decision to send immigrants to northern cities.
Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney called the Abbott administration “cruel and racist” for sending the bus into the city with little notice and no plan to help families once they arrived. “It is truly disgusting to hear that Governor Abbott and his administration continue to implement their willfully cruel policies by using immigrant families, including women and children, as pawns to shamelessly push their twisted political agenda.”
Kenney said the city had been working with more than a dozen local organizations to provide migrants with shelter spaces, emergency health screenings, food, water, translation and more.
The move was the latest escalation in Abbott’s efforts to repudiate the Biden administration and Democrats for the federal government’s handling of an unprecedented wave of immigration along the US-Mexico border over the past two years.
Immigrants Sent from Texas by Governor Abbott Relocate to Philadelphia
The families and individuals sent from the southern border come from Colombia, the Dominican Republic and Cuba.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott had announced Philadelphia would be the next destination for migrants the state is ferrying from the US-Mexico border by the thousands to places led by Democrats.
And he fulfilled it with the arrival of a bus with 28 immigrants from Texas, including a 10-year-old girl who suffered from dehydration and a high fever, transferred to a hospital for treatment.
Before Philadelphia, Texas officials had already bussed more than 13,000 immigrants to Washington DC, New York and Chicago, three cities led by Democrats with sanctuary policies.
Immigrant advocates immediately welcomed them. They said the families and individuals came from Colombia, the Dominican Republic and Cuba.
“In general, people feel relieved. We want them to know they have a home here,” said Philadelphia City Council member Helen Gym, who escorted several of the migrants to a second bus that took them to a site where their needs could be assessed and conditions improved. .
“Seeking asylum is a human right,” Gym said. “Our country has always welcomed people who seek refuge here, and we have prospered because of it. … Our city and our country are stronger when we embrace and welcome people who are seeking a better life.”
“The important thing is that they arrived in Philadelphia and were welcomed with open arms,” said Emilio Buitrago of the nonprofit organization Casa de Venezuela. “The children were scared, exhausted, tired,” he said. “Now they are going to go to a place where they are going to have comfortable and warm beds, with a blanket and hot food. From there, we will work on their relocation.” Some of the families hope to join relatives or friends in other states, Gym said.
Critics have decried Abbott’s actions as politically motivated, but Texas voters last week awarded him a third term as governor in his race against Democrat Beto O’Rourke. Abbott made a series of hardline immigration measures the centerpiece of his campaign. Nearly 6 in 10 Texas voters favored the decision to send immigrants to northern cities.
Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney called the Abbott administration “cruel and racist” for sending the bus into the city with little notice and no plan to help families once they arrived. “It is truly disgusting to hear that Governor Abbott and his administration continue to implement their willfully cruel policies by using immigrant families, including women and children, as pawns to shamelessly push their twisted political agenda.”
Kenney said the city had been working with more than a dozen local organizations to provide migrants with shelter spaces, emergency health screenings, food, water, language interpretation and more.
The move was the latest escalation in Abbott’s efforts to repudiate the Biden administration and Democrats for the federal government’s handling of an unprecedented wave of immigration along the US-Mexico border over the past two years.
Immigrants Sent from Texas by Governor Abbott Relocate to Philadelphia
The families and individuals sent from the southern border come from Colombia, the Dominican Republic and Cuba.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott had announced Philadelphia would be the next destination for migrants the state is ferrying from the US-Mexico border by the thousands to places led by Democrats.
And he fulfilled it with the arrival of a bus with 28 immigrants from Texas, including a 10-year-old girl who suffered from dehydration and a high fever, transferred to a hospital for treatment.
Before Philadelphia, Texas officials had already bussed more than 13,000 immigrants to Washington DC, New York and Chicago, three cities led by Democrats with sanctuary policies.
Immigrant advocates immediately welcomed them. They said the families and individuals came from Colombia, the Dominican Republic and Cuba.
“In general, people feel relieved. We want them to know they have a home here,” said Philadelphia City Council member Helen Gym, who escorted several of the migrants to a second bus that took them to a site where their needs could be assessed and conditions improved. .
“Seeking asylum is a human right,” Gym said. “Our country has always welcomed people who seek refuge here, and we have prospered because of it. … Our city and our country are stronger when we embrace and welcome people who are seeking a better life.”
“The important thing is that they arrived in Philadelphia and were welcomed with open arms,” said Emilio Buitrago of the nonprofit organization Casa de Venezuela. “The children were scared, exhausted, tired,” he said. “Now they are going to go to a place where they are going to have comfortable and warm beds, with a blanket and hot food. From there, we will work on their relocation.” Some of the families hope to join relatives or friends in other states, Gym said.
Critics have decried Abbott’s actions as politically motivated, but Texas voters last week awarded him a third term as governor in his race against Democrat Beto O’Rourke. Abbott made a series of hardline immigration measures the centerpiece of his campaign. Nearly 6 in 10 Texas voters favored the decision to send immigrants to northern cities.
Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney called the Abbott administration “cruel and racist” for sending the bus into the city with little notice and no plan to help families once they arrived. “It is truly disgusting to hear that Governor Abbott and his administration continue to implement their willfully cruel policies by using immigrant families, including women and children, as pawns to shamelessly push their twisted political agenda.”
Kenney said the city had been working with more than a dozen local organizations to provide migrants with shelter spaces, emergency health screenings, food, water, language interpretation and more.
The move was the latest escalation in Abbott’s efforts to repudiate the Biden administration and Democrats for the federal government’s handling of an unprecedented wave of immigration along the US-Mexico border over the past two years.
