Migrants were dropped at Kamala Harris, Vice President, on Christmas Eve in historic cold weather
Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times via Getty Kamala Harris
Three buses from Texas dropped off hundreds of migrants in the vicinity of Vice President Kamala Harris’s Washington D.C. home. record low temperatures On Saturday Night, per NBC News.
Madhvi Bahl, a Migrant Solidarity Mutual Aid Network organizer said that about 140 migrants from Central and South America arrived in D.C. via Texas. She called the incident “awful.”
According to the Associated Press, some migrants arrived in 18-degree weather and had to wear only t-shirts. CNNThey were given blankets, and then they were taken to the local shelters.
“The D.C. community welcomes buses from Texas whenever they come to the city since April. CNN spokeswoman Amy Fischer from Migrant Solidarity Mutual Aid Network said that Christmas Eve is the same as freezing cold weather. “We are always there welcoming people with open arms.”
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Although Texas Governor Greg Abbott has previously sent buses of migrants to northern areas in the past, the White House placed the blame on Harris, although it has not been confirmed that Abbott sent those buses. The White House released a statement calling the deployment of the buses “cruel and dangerous” and a “shameful stunt.”
Abdullah Hasan, White House spokesperson, stated that Governor Abbott left children by the side of the road below freezing temperatures on Christmas Eve and did not coordinate with Federal or local authorities.
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“As we have repeatedly said, we are willing to work with anyone – Republican or Democrat alike – on real solutions, like the comprehensive immigration reform and border security measures President Biden sent to Congress on his first day in office, but these political games accomplish nothing and only put lives in danger,” Hasan continued.
PEOPLE reached Gov. Greg Abbott’s Office for Comment
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This is not the first time this has happened. According to a Washington D.C. democratic mayor Muriel Bowser, the public emergency was declared by Washington D.C. to help migrants. This happened after Republican-led Arizona and Texas started sending migrants to Washington D.C. New York City, Chicago and New York City. Politico.
“We have put in place a framework which would allow us to have coordinated responses with our partners.” Bowser stated. “This will include a program that meets all buses. Since most people will continue on to other destinations, our primary focus will be to ensure we have a friendly, efficient, and humane process that allows people the opportunity to move on to their destination.
New York City Mayor Eric Adams The August incident was also condemned.
“Some of these families were on the bus and wanted to go to different locations. They were not permitted to.” Adams explained that the bus was forced onto Adams’s bus. according to Politico. “Our goal is to find every family’s immediate needs and provide the help they need.”