Several busloads of migrants were dropped off in front of Vice President Kamala Harris’ residence in Washington, DC, on Christmas Eve in 18 degree weather late Saturday.
via: People
About 140 migrants from countries in Central and South America and the Caribbean arrived in D.C. from Texas, Migrant Solidarity Mutual Aid Network organizer Madhvi Bahl told NBC News, calling the incident “awful.”
Some of the migrants that arrived had to battle the 18-degree weather wearing only t-shirts, according to CNN, and they were eventually given blankets and taken to local shelters in the area.
“The D.C. community has been welcoming buses from Texas anytime they’ve come since April. Christmas Eve and freezing cold weather is no different,” Migrant Solidarity Mutual Aid Network volunteer Amy Fischer told CNN. “We are always here welcoming folks with open arms.”
The White House placed the blame on Texas Governor Greg Abbott, who has sent busses of migrants to northern cities in the past, though it has not been confirmed that Abbott send the buses that wound up at Harris’ residence. In a statement, the White House called the deployment of the buses a “cruel, dangerous and shameful stunt.”
“Governor Abbott abandoned children on the side of the road in below freezing temperatures on Christmas Eve without coordinating with any Federal or local authorities,” White House spokesperson Abdullah Hasan said in a statement to news outlets.
“As we have repeatedly said, we are willing to work with anyone – Republican or Democrat alike – on real solutions, like the comprehensive immigration reform and border security measures President Biden sent to Congress on his first day in office, but these political games accomplish nothing and only put lives in danger,” Hasan continued.
PEOPLE has reached out to Gov. Greg Abbott’s office for comment.
In September, Washington D.C. democratic Mayor Muriel Bowser declared a public emergency in order to provide services for migrants after Republican-led states Arizona and Texas began sending migrants over to Washington D.C., New York City and Chicago, according to Politico.
“We’re putting in place a framework that would allow us to have a coordinated response with our partners,” Bowser said. “This will include a program to meet all buses, and given that most people will move on, our primary focus is to make sure we have a humane, efficient, welcome process that will allow people to move on to their final destination.”
New York City Mayor Eric Adams also condemned the act in August.
“Some of the families are on the bus that wanted to go to other locations, and they were not allowed to do so. They were forced on the bus,” Adams said, according to Politico. “Our goal is to immediately find out each family’s needs and give them the assistance they want.”
