Advocates, Elected Officials Assist Migrants Bused To LA From Texas

LOS ANGELES -- Local officials and immigrant-rights advocates were continuing work today to assist 42 migrants who were bused from the Texas-Mexico border to Los Angeles by Texas Gov. Gregg Abbott, who proclaimed his state's border region ``overrun'' and hinted that more shipments of immigrants could follow.

In a Twitter post Thursday, Abbott proclaimed that the ``first bus of migrants'' from Texas had arrived in Los Angeles, with the migrants initially taken to Union Station downtown but then moved to a nearby church.

``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.

``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 front lines 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.''

The immigrants were taken to St. Anthony's Croatian Catholic Church in Chinatown, and Los Angeles Fire Department crews responded to ensure none of them had any medical issues. According to the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights, the immigrants were on the bus for nearly 24 hours, with some saying they had not eaten or had anything to drink during the journey.

Representatives of the CHIRLA were among the organizations who met with the migrants Wednesday night to offer assistance, along with the nonprofit Haitian Bridge Alliance, which indicated that six of the migrants are of Haitian descent, including a family of three -- two adult cousins and one adult.

``We coordinated with the city (of Los Angeles) and the mayor's office to make sure these individuals were greeted with dignity and to make sure they received the assistance that they needed,'' Daniel Tse, the group's asylum task force coordinator, told CNN.

The Immigrant Defenders Law Center was also offering assistance.

The Catholic Charities of the Rio Grande Valley also greeted the migrants at Union Station and offered to help them.

The 42 migrants included an estimated 16 children, including some infants. Officials said the migrants came from countries including Guatemala, Honduras and Venezuela.

Most spent the night at the night at the church, although officials said some were picked up by relatives, and others were trying to make arrangements to travel to other cities.

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass issued a statement calling it ``abhorrent that an American elected official is using human beings as pawns in his cheap political games.''

``Shortly after I took office, I directed city departments to begin planning in the event Los Angeles was on the receiving end of a despicable stunt that Republican governors have grown so fond of,'' Bass said. ``This did not catch us off guard, nor will it intimidate us. Now, it's time to execute our plan. Our emergency management, police, fire and other departments were able to find out about the incoming arrival while the bus was on its way and were already mobilized along with nonprofit partners before the bus arrived.

``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. We are a city that seeks to treat all people with dignity and compassion and we will continue to work closely with nonprofit organizations, including the L.A. Welcomes Collective, as well as with our county, state and federal
partners."

According to Abbott's office, Texas has been charting buses to take migrants from Texas to locations including Washington, D.C., New York City, Chicago and Philadelphia, and most recently adding Denver to the list of destinations. Since beginning the busing effort last spring, more than 21,600 migrants have been shipped out of Texas to ``these self-declared sanctuary cities,'' according to Abbott's office.

The Los Angeles City Council last week approved a motion directing various city departments to take the steps required for Los Angeles to officially become a sanctuary city for immigrants.

Councilman Hugo Soto-Martinez, one of the sponsors of that motion, blasted Abbott's decision to stick the migrants on a bus as ``despicable and disgusting,'' accusing him of playing ``petty political games with the lives of these vulnerable people.''

He said Los Angeles ``doesn't throw people away. We treat people with dignity and respect, regardless of where they come from.''

-- City News Service