New York City Mayor Eric Adams has announced a significant legal move by filing a lawsuit against 17 bus and transportation companies involved in transporting asylum-seekers to the city amid a financial crisis exacerbated by the migrant influx.
The lawsuit seeks $708 million to cover the costs incurred by the city in caring for migrants.
NYC Takes Legal Aim at Companies in Abbott’s Migration Initiative
The legal action targets companies allegedly involved in Texas Governor Greg Abbott’s initiative to transport tens of thousands of migrants to New York City, straining the city’s social services system.
In a statement, Mayor Adams expressed the city’s commitment to managing the humanitarian crisis but emphasized the inability to bear the financial burden alone, especially when influenced by what he called “reckless political ploys from the state of Texas.”
The lawsuit contends that these companies violated state law by not contributing to the costs of caring for migrants, leading to the city’s claim of approximately $700 million for expenses incurred over the past two years. The lawsuit is pending review by the county clerk.
New York City has been grappling with the financial strain imposed by the influx of migrants since the initiation of Operation Lone Star by Governor Abbott. Abbott claimed that over 33,600 migrants had been sent to the city from Texas since August 2022.
The transportation companies named in the lawsuit include Buckeye Coach, Carduan Tours, Classic Elegance Coaches, Coastal Crew Change Company, and others. The lawsuit alleges that as of November 27, 2023, the defendants earned millions of dollars in revenues from Texas by implementing the governor’s plan.
Governor Abbott responded to the lawsuit, dismissing it as “baseless and deserving of sanctions.” He argued that every migrant sent to New York City did so voluntarily and with authorization from the Biden Administration, asserting their constitutional right to travel.
The lawsuit cites section 149 of the New York Social Services law, which obligates anyone knowingly bringing a needy person from out of state into the state for the purpose of making them a public charge to cover the associated expenses.
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New York City Leaders Unite Against Abbott’s Migrant Tactics
New York Governor Kathy Hochul expressed support for the lawsuit, criticizing Abbott for using migrants as political pawns. Both Adams and Hochul have called for federal support to manage the costs associated with the growing number of migrants arriving in the city.
Mayor Adams also issued a new executive order in late December to improve coordination with charter bus companies transporting migrants, emphasizing the safety and well-being of both migrants and city staff. However, reports surfaced of buses dropping migrants off in New Jersey to bypass the executive order.
This legal clash adds another layer to the ongoing tensions between Mayor Adams and Governor Abbott, with accusations of political maneuvering and hypocrisy. As New York City faces a surge in migrant arrivals, the lawsuit underscores the financial strain and challenges the city is grappling with in the wake of the immigration crisis.
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