For two years, Texas has used bus companies to transport migrants who crossed the US-Mexico border to New York and other Democratic-led cities.
New York City is suing bus companies that have transported migrants from the US southern border into the city, the mayor of New York announced Thursday Eric Adams.
The city demands 708 million dollars, or almost 650 million euros, from the bus companies.
The background of the dispute is the governor of the state of Texas By Greg Abbott a decision that for two years Texas has used bus companies to transport migrants who have crossed the US-Mexico border to New York and other Democratic-led cities.
According to Abbott, the President of the United States Joe Biden the administration has failed in the migration issue.
According to the lawsuit, the bus companies have transported tens of thousands not only to New York but also to Chicago and Washington.
New York tried to curb the number of immigrants
New York has tried to curb the number of migrants arriving by bus by limiting the drop-off places for passengers and requiring advance notice of arrival.
However, the notification requirement has been circumvented by leaving the passengers in the state of New Jersey, from where they have continued their journey by train to New York.
– [Kaupunki] files a lawsuit against seventeen rental bus and transportation companies that seeks to reimburse New York for all expenses incurred for emergency accommodation and migrant services, the city said in a press release.
According to the law, the city authorities are obliged to provide protection and care to everyone who requests it.
– The companies have violated the state law when they have not paid the expenses incurred for the care of the migrants, and that is why we are suing [heidät] to the court to get back the $700 million that has already been spent on the immigrants that Texas has sent here in the last two years, said Eric Adams.
Immigrants have become a significant theme for the US presidential elections in November. Last month, the number of unauthorized border crossers had risen to 10,000.
Sources: AFP, Reuters