Politics
Karen Bass rips Texas for sending migrants to Los Angeles amid Tropical Storm Hilary
Los Angeles officials called the move “evil” as the migrants were sent as the city braced for the impact of Tropical Storm Hilary and were warning people to stay off the streets
August 23, 2023 8:27am
Updated: August 23, 2023 8:30am
A group of undocumented migrants were bused from the Texas-Mexico border to Los Angeles on Sunday as the California city braced for Tropical Storm Hillary, sparking criticism from officials.
The bus departed Brownsville, Texas on Sunday carrying around 37 undocumented migrants, including 16 children, and arrived at L.A.’s Union Station on Monday at around 6:45 p.m. The migrants were from Venezuela, Guatemala, Mexico, Belize, Honduras, and Ecuador, according to the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights.
Los Angeles Mayor and renowned Democrat Karen Bass called the move “evil” as the migrants were sent as the city braced for the impact of Tropical Storm Hilary and were warning people to stay off the streets. On Sunday evening, the storm damaged roads, toppled trees, and caused flooding in several parts of L.A.
"It is evil to endanger the lives of vulnerable migrants by sending a bus with families and toddlers on board to a city that at the time was under an unprecedented tropical storm warning," Bass said in a statement.
"As I stood with state and local leaders warning Angelenos to stay safe and brace themselves for the worst of the coming storm, the Governor of Texas sent families and toddlers straight for us on a path through extreme weather conditions,” she added.
The bus marks the ninth bus sent from Texas by Governor Greg Abbott to Los Angeles since June 14. Since then, 360 people have arrived in California City.
"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," Abbott said in a statement after the first bus arrived in L.A.
The migrants have been welcomed by the L.A. Welcome Collective, a coalition of organizations helping the incoming migrants. They have been provided with humanitarian support services, such as food and health check-ups. The organization has also helped facilitate reunions between the migrants and their family members or sponsors in the region.
“In LA we welcome people, not send them into harm's way! Proud to be in a city that sees the dignity and humanity of every person regardless of their immigration status,” the Coalition for Humane Migrant Rights Los Angeles, a member of the collective, said on Monday.
