New York City Mayor Eric Adams has launched a groundbreaking lawsuit against 17 Texas-based bus companies, claiming over $700 million in damages. This legal move, announced on Thursday, comes as a counteraction to Texas Governor Greg Abbott’s policy of sending migrants to New York, which, according to Adams, aims to strain the city’s social welfare system.
The lawsuit contends that these companies have breached New York state regulations by failing to assume responsibility for the migrants’ welfare. Under state law, entities bringing “needy persons” from outside into New York with the intent of making them reliant on public support must either remove them from the state or provide for them. Adams has condemned Abbott’s tactic of using migrants for political purposes as disorderly, inhumane, and unlawful.
This legal challenge follows Adams’ recent executive order demanding a 32-hour advance notice from charter buses transporting migrants to New York City. The order also outlines specific arrival times and designated drop-off points. In response, some buses have circumvented these directives by offloading migrants in neighboring New Jersey, facilitating their entry into New York City.
To combat this, Adams has discussed implementing similar orders with the governors of New Jersey and Connecticut. He has openly criticized Abbott’s approach as disruptive and rigid, affirming his determination to confront these challenges.
New York Governor Kathy Hochul has voiced her support for the lawsuit, insisting that these companies should shoulder the costs associated with housing the migrants, rather than transferring this burden to New York residents.
Governor Abbott, on the other hand, has dismissed the lawsuit as groundless and deserving of legal penalties. He maintains that Mayor Adams is unfairly intervening in the migrants’ constitutional right to travel, especially considering their voluntary choice to move to New York City following authorization from the Biden Administration to stay in the U.S.
This lawsuit marks a significant moment in the escalating conflict between Texas and New York City over migrant arrivals and highlights the larger national debate on immigration policies and the role of sanctuary cities.