New York City has filed a lawsuit seeking $708 million from 17 charter bus and transportation companies hired by Texas Governor Greg Abbott to transport migrants to the city from Texas. The lawsuit, filed on Thursday, alleges that the companies have profited from Abbott’s border plan, which involved sending migrants to Democratic-run cities as part of Operation Lone Star.
Mayor Eric Adams accused the companies of transporting tens of thousands of people over the past two years “without paying to care for them” and said the influx has overwhelmed the city’s social services system. The lawsuit comes one week after Adams signed an executive order restricting where and when buses carrying migrants can drop off passengers in the city. This move led bus drivers to begin dropping off passengers at New Jersey train stations instead.
Governor Abbott has defended his border plan, stating that every migrant bused or flown to New York City did so voluntarily, after having been authorized by the Biden Administration to remain in the United States. In response to the lawsuit, he called it “baseless” and said that Mayor Adams may be held legally accountable for his violations.
Most of the companies named in the suit are based in Texas, while others are based in Ohio, Louisiana, and Iowa. The lawsuit alleges that the companies have significantly profited from Abbott’s plan as they make about $1,650 per person compared to about $300 for a single one-way ticket.
New York City is seeking $708 million from the companies, the amount spent in caring for the migrants transported in from Texas. Governor Kathy Hochul echoed Adams’ sentiments, stating that it’s time for the companies to take responsibility for their role in the ongoing crisis.
Abbott has come under fire in recent years for his border plan, which includes installing buoys and miles of razor wire at the U.S.-Mexico border. In the latest development, the U.S. Department of Justice on Wednesday sued the state of Texas and Abbott to block a slate of new state-level immigration penalties from taking effect, including allowing police to arrest migrants who enter the country illegally.
The lawsuit filed by New York City is the latest development in the ongoing debate over immigration policies and border security. It remains to be seen how the legal battle will unfold and what impact it will have on the transportation of migrants from Texas to other cities.