In a surprising twist, NBC’s Chuck Todd openly conceded on Thursday that Republican Governor of Texas, Greg Abbott, had a valid point in his assertion that transporting migrants to Democratic strongholds could lead Democratic officials to turn against the Biden administration and exert pressure on the White House to address the border situation.
In a sneak peek of an upcoming segment on “Meet the Press,” Todd delved into the “escalating humanitarian crisis” in New York City, where officials are grappling with an influx of migrants overwhelming shelters and straining resources. As Todd spoke, images of migrants camping on the city’s streets were displayed alongside a visibly concerned Mayor Eric Adams.
“Up next, the deepening humanitarian crisis in New York City. The shelter system is struggling with the surge of migrants. Calls for federal intervention are growing. It appears that Greg Abbott’s prediction had some truth,” Todd conveyed to his audience. “He foresaw that when blue cities grapple with this issue, their reaction toward the federal government would be one of dissatisfaction.”
Earlier on the same day, Adams reiterated his pleas for increased federal involvement, warning that the ongoing migrant crisis in the sanctuary city has the potential to “decimate” it. New York City has repeatedly declared itself overwhelmed and unable to accommodate the influx of migrants, whether they arrived independently or were transported from Texas by buses provided by Abbott, reaching destinations such as New York City, Washington, D.C., Chicago, and Philadelphia.
Adams emphasized that the burgeoning migrant influx is projected to incur a cost exceeding $12 billion by 2025, underscoring that nearly 100,000 asylum seekers have entered the city within the past year alone. Adams urgently called for additional support from both the state and federal governments, stressing that New York City’s capacity has been surpassed.
These statements emerged just days after Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey declared a state of emergency due to an overwhelming surge of migrants that has overwhelmed social services, prompting her to demand more financial resources and federal assistance.
Healey, a Democrat, stated that a state of emergency was warranted due to the “rapid and ongoing increases in the number of families with children and pregnant individuals—many of them recent migrants and refugees—residing in the state without access to secure shelter within our communities.”
Besides Massachusetts and New York City, Chicago and the state of New York have also issued emergency declarations this year, seeking assistance in the face of the migrant influx, despite their geographical distance from the beleaguered southern border.
Meanwhile, Texas continues to transport buses of migrants to sanctuary cities across the nation, including Los Angeles and Washington, D.C. Abbott has previously stated that these relocations will persist until the federal government takes decisive action to address the border crisis.
While Democrats and the Biden administration have criticized the busing of migrants as a political maneuver, Republicans like Abbott contend that this strategy aims to distribute the responsibility of accommodating migrants, while compelling Democratic officials and the White House to acknowledge the gravity of the border crisis.
Abbott’s approach to transportation earned praise from Senator Tim Scott of South Carolina, who hailed it as “one of the most strategic moves made by a governor” in the last decade.