(NewsNation) — Homelessness is an ongoing problem in Washington, D.C. It’s common to see tent cities around the city, but shelters are now overwhelmed and services have been bombarded as more migrants travel to the nation’s capital on buses from Texas and Arizona.
Washington, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser says the decision by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott to ship thousands of undocumented immigrants who recently crossed the border from Texas to the nation’s capital has only made the situation worse.
Earlier this year, Abbott began sending waves of undocumented immigrants from Texas to D.C. by bus all in protest of President Joe Biden lifting Title 42 — which served as a public health policy where migrants could be expelled if they came from a country where certain infectious diseases remain present.
Due to this initiative, homeless shelters in the nation’s capital are started to cap out with these asylum-seekers and services for them are bombarded with requests.
Bowser appeared on CBS’ “Face the Nation” on Sunday and admitted that it’s a “very significant issue,” and called on the federal government to get more involved as she believes migrants are being “tricked” into traveling to the nation’s capital.
“We have for sure called on the federal government to work across state lines to prevent people from really being tricked into getting on buses. We think they’re largely asylum seekers who are going to final destinations that are not Washington, D.C. I worked with the White House to make sure that FEMA provided a grant to a local organization that is providing services to folks. But, I fear that they’re being tricked into nationwide bus trips when their final destinations are places all over the United States of America,” Bowser said.
Bowser said local taxpayers are not paying for the bus trips, but the waves of people have bombarded services. She says a stronger federal response could help coordinate the response.
In June, the Texas Division of Emergency Management said the state had spent more than $5 million sending people to D.C.
The U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s June monthly report revealed more than 200,000 border crossings — which included a record number of terrorist sightings as well as over 15,000 unaccompanied children.