LOS ANGELES — Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said the migrants were sent to Los Angeles because California had declared itself a “sanctuary” for immigrants.
The news was revealed by Texas Governor Greg Abbott on Twitter.
"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," said Governor Abbott in a statement. "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."
Officials said the migrants were dropped of at L.A. Union Station Wednesday evening.
Forty-two people, including some children, were dropped off around 4 p.m. and were being cared for by city agencies and charitable organizations, Los Angeles City Councilmember Kevin de León’s office said.
“They left yesterday and it was 23 hours on the bus and they did not have a chance to eat or to have water,” said Jorge Mario Cabrera of the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights, who spoke to several migrants.
“They are being fed; they're taking shelters; they’re talking to attorneys,” he said. “These are migrants that have been allowed by the U.S. to enter because they have credible fears. They have not yet received asylum."
Many were from Latin American countries, including Honduras and Venezuela, and one person had an immigration appointment in New York, he said.
Mayor Karen Bass said she had instructed city departments to prepare to accept migrants from out of state, after GOP governors began sending asylum-seekers to Democratic states in recent months.
“This did not catch us off guard, nor will it intimidate us," Bass said in a statement. “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."
The move from Texas comes after Florida revealed its role in transporting two planes of migrants from the southern border to Sacramento earlier this month.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis made a statement last Wednesday on why his administration made that decision.
"The reality is, I think the border should be closed. I don't think we should have any of this. But if there's a policy to have an open border, then I think the sanctuary jurisdiction should be the ones who have to bear that. We're not a sanctuary in Florida, and yes, we know people want to come. So the more we can divert before we even get there is good for our state," said DeSantis.
The migrants in Los Angeles were receiving help at St. Anthony’s Croatian Catholic Church near downtown.
A spokesperson for Gov. Gavin Newsom said the state was communicating closely with the County and City of Los Angeles and their community partners with the families that arrived.
“Contrary to what some may want to think – California is also a border state but instead of demonizing asylum seekers, we focus on working with local communities to support and humanely welcome people," said Daniel Lopez, press secretary for the governor.
"Together, we will make sure that the children and families who arrived are safe and welcomed,” he added.
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