(NewsNation) — Some buses carrying migrants from border states are allegedly being stopped and extensively searched by New York police when they arrive in the sanctuary city, according to a NewsNation source.
NewsNation’s Ali Bradley was told as soon as the buses were offloaded in New York City, they are stopped and searched extensively. The source said that the bus crews are being harassed and NYPD officers are looking for issues with the buses, checking IDs and searching for weapons. The New York Post reported that over the weekend, NYPD officers searched multiple buses that arrived from the border.
“This is another pathetic ploy by Mayor Adams to stop Texas from busing migrants to his self-declared sanctuary city,” a spokesperson for Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said in a statement. “Each bus used by the State of Texas for this busing mission undergoes thorough Texas Department of Public Safety Commercial Vehicle inspections before departing for sanctuary cities.”
The busing began in spring when Abbott and Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey announced plans to send busloads of migrants to Washington, D.C., and New York City in response to President Joe Biden’s decision to lift a pandemic-era emergency health order that restricted migrant entry numbers. Chicago was later added to the list of destinations.
The state of Texas has sent more than 12,000 migrants from the southern border to Democrat-led sanctuary cities, according to Abbott.
D.C. has received the most from the Lone Star State at about 8,200, followed by New York City with more than 3,200. Abbott said Chicago received more than 920 migrants as part of the operation.
In all, more than 17,000 asylum seekers from multiple border states have arrived in the city since April, according to a news release released last week.
New York City Mayor Eric Adams last week declared a state of emergency because of the influx of migrants.
During a 15-minute address streamed from City Hall, Adams said New York City’s budget is expected to take a $1 billion hit by the end of the fiscal year.
“We need help, and we need it now,” said Adams during the address.