Public donations are being accepted to help Texas cover costs of busing migrants to blue cities.
Gov. Greg Abbott, R-Texas, in April began busing migrants from the southern border to Washington, D.C., to alleviate pressure on small border communities, and in protest of President Joe Biden and the federal government for failing to adequately police the migrant surge.
New York City earlier this month joined the list of sanctuary cities to which Texas is busing migrants.
To help fund the initiative, Texas collected $118,297 in public donations as of July 22, the Washington Examiner reported.
By mid-July, Texas had been charged nearly $7 million by busing and security contractors.
Abbott's website allows people to donate money to support the busing of migrants to the sanctuary cities.
"In the wake of President Biden’s decision to end Title 42 expulsions, Governor Abbott has directed the Texas Division of Emergency Management to charter buses to transport migrants to Washington, D.C.," the website says.
"You can donate online now by credit card or donate by mail by sending a check ... Note that any unused Border Transportation Funding will be applied to the Texas Border Wall Funding."
The Texas Tribune reported that Texas raised more than $54 million in donations by the end of August to help the construction of a border wall. The website began accepting donations for the wall in June 2021.
The Examiner reported that as of August, two miles of wall were under construction.
Abbott's busing initiative has upset the mayors of Washington, D.C., and New York City.
Washington, D.C., Mayor Muriel Bowser on Thursday renewed her request for the National Guard to help deal with the influx of migrants being by Texas and Arizona.
The Defense Department rejected Bowser's initial request for National Guard help, saying the city has sufficient funding under the Federal Emergency Management Agency for shelter and services for the influx.
New York City Mayor Eric Adams harshly criticized Abbott last week for busing migrants.
"We were happy to have a mayor who greeted the asylum seekers instead of putting them, placing them on a bus with a 44-hour ride, very few breaks, no food, no direction, and clear information," Adams said. "It was a good job with the coordination of volunteers and what our office did in the morning."
At least one New York Democrat complimented Abbott on his efforts.
"The governor of Texas, Greg Abbott, has come up with … one of the most brilliant political strategies I've heard in a long time," former Gov. David Paterson said Sunday during an appearance on WABC 770, the New York Post reported.
© 2024 Newsmax. All rights reserved.