Three buses packed with migrants from Texas arrived in New York City early Wednesday — welcomed by supporters who thrust $20 bills in their hands.
The buses arrived at the Port Authority Bus Terminal in Midtown, days after Mayor Eric Adams blasted Texas Gov. Greg Abbott as “anti-American” for relocating the asylum-seekers, which Abbott says he is doing to emphasize the crisis being created by the Biden administration allowing asylum seekers to stay in the US while their applications are processed.
The migrants appeared to be a mix of asylum seekers aided with bus tickets by the administration and by independent charities in addition to any shipped up here by the Republican Texas governor. Some had claims that could potentially qualify for asylum being granted while others were simply seeking a better life, which, depending on other circumstances, would not qualify them to stay in the US
John Torres, who migrated from Colombia as a boy, took a four-hour bus ride from Maryland to New York to greet the new arrivals — with $200 in cash to give away.
“Because it’s the right thing to do,” Torres, 45, told The Post as to why he came. “It’s something that somebody would do for me if I’m in poverty, if I am starting out, someone would do that for me.”
Torres said he empathized with the migrants who arrived with few or no prospects for a job and no family or friends.
“You know, if I’m coming in a bus, if I’m scared, I don’t know where I am going, I don’t know what’s going on or nothing,” Torres said. “at least you know, if somebody gives me something for breakfast, at least I could start out that way, and then buy me a shirt, buy me clothes and then, I don’t know… figure it out from there.”
One migrant who got off at the Port Authority told The Post he started his trek to America from Venezuela on July 8.
Jairo Gamardo said he crossed into the US via Texas and then spent two days being processed by immigration officials before he was taken to a church in a city where he got onto a bus that headed directly for the Big Apple – stopping only for bathroom breaks.
Gamardo said the government-funded trip was provided to him and other migrants hailing from Texas at no cost. He said he previously worked for the military in Venezuela and was seeking political asylum in the United States.
“It’s a beautiful city,” Gamardo said when asked why he wanted to come to New York.
Gamardo, who doesn’t know anyone in the Big Apple, traveled alone and is now searching for work and better days ahead, he said.
Another native of Venezuela said he worked several jobs back home, but could only earn about $30 monthly — far less than needed to support his family.
“That’s everyone’s dream, to help their families,” Ernesto Bose, 41, told The Post, adding that he hopes to eventually bring his parents and sons to the United States.
Bose said the trip he endured was “horrible,” but thanked the city officials who greeted him in New York.
“Everyone has been so nice and welcoming,” Bose said. “Everyone is so willing to help.”
Heading to New York became an option for Bose upon getting bus tickets destined for the city or the nation’s capital from a church in Eagle Pass, Texas, Bose said.
“And it’s the only place that accepts us here like this,” Bose continued.
A City Hall official said Tuesday at least three more buses carrying migrants from Texas would arrive in the Big Apple by Wednesday and keep showing up “basically daily.”
Abbott hired a charter bus company to send the migrants across the country, but the company signed a non-disclosure agreement preventing the city from obtaining details on its itineraries, Immigrant Affairs Commissioner Manuel Castro told reporters Tuesday.
Some 45 migrants got off a bus that arrived in the city on Friday, as Abbott said he planned to continue the program indefinitely, claiming New York City is the “ideal destination” for the migrants due to its services for homeless people.
Adams said Sunday that only 14 migrants had gotten off the bus that officials were “led to believe” held about 40 people. It’s unclear what happened to the others, but Adams said Monday some were sent to “new locations.”
Abbott began relocating migrants to Washington, DC, in April in response to what he calls President Biden’s “open border policies.” City Hall officials estimate around 4,000 migrants in all have arrived in recent weeks.
Torres said he believed Abbott was “trying to do the best he can” by busing the migrants to New York, a sanctuary city.
“But there’s only so many people you can help,” Torres said. “There are thousands of people every day, so I mean I respect his opinion of him but I think you gotta do some reform in each state to help out.”
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