Gov. Abbott Did Not Send Migrant Buses in July

Data obtained by NBC News reveals that Texas Governor Greg Abbott did not send any buses carrying migrants out of the state in July 2023, despite his commitment at the Republican National Convention to continue the program until the border is deemed secure. In stark contrast, July 2022 saw Abbott dispatch 95 buses with 4,281 migrants. The decline in bus trips aligns with a significant drop in migrant numbers following President Joe Biden's executive action limiting asylum applications in early June. The data, covering the period from April 2022 to August 2024, indicates that after June 4, Abbott sent only 15 additional buses, with reports suggesting that some buses were not even filled to capacity. For instance, a bus that departed on June 11 carried only 25 passengers instead of the usual 50. By the end of July, shelter operators in border cities reported a shortage of migrants, leading to claims from officials in Northern cities that no further buses were expected. Abbott's spokesperson acknowledged the decrease in migrant numbers but attributed it to the governor's policies that have resulted in fewer illegal crossings into Texas. The spokesperson emphasized that this reduction directly impacts the number of buses being sent to so-called sanctuary cities. The last buses to reach Washington, D.C., and Philadelphia were dispatched in October and December, respectively, marking a significant shift in the state's migrant transportation strategy.