Buses Dropping Migrants Off In New Jersey, Using Loophole Around New York Rules

Buses of migrants have been stopping in New Jersey in an apparent attempt to flout New York City Mayor Eric Adams’ (D) recent order to limit arrivals in the city as an ongoing political battle over immigration continues.

Officials in New Jersey say at least 13 buses from Texas and Louisiana have arrived in the state since Saturday ferrying about 450 migrants. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) has continued to send migrants from his state to Democrat-led cities in a so-called protest against President Joe Biden ’s immigration policies, despite sharp criticism from human rights advocates who have accused him of using human beings as political pawns.

Adams last week passed an executive order meant to limit such arrivals in New York, requiring bus companies to provide 32 hours notice before dropping migrants off in the city. Arrivals are also limited to specific times of day between Monday and Friday.

“We cannot allow buses with people needing our help to arrive without warning at any hour of day and night,” Adams said at the time.

The shift was meant to address a surge in asylum seekers in New York, which has processed more than 161,000 since the spring of 2022, according to The New York Times.

But the mayors of Secaucus, New Jersey , and Jersey City, New Jersey, said in recent days buses have unloaded hundreds of passengers who are then guided to train stations to New York.

“It seems quite clear the bus operators are finding a way to thwart the requirements of the executive order by dropping migrants at the train station in Secaucus and having them continue to their final destination,” Michael Gonnelli, the mayor of Secaucus, said in a statement , describing the set-up as a “loophole” around Adams’ order. He added the outcome seemed to be an “unexpected consequence” of the new rules.

Adams’ office blasted Abbott’s busing policy in a statement this week.

“Texas Governor Greg Abbott continues to treat asylum seekers like political pawns, and is instead now dropping families off in surrounding cities and states in the cold, dark of night with train tickets to travel to New York City, just like he has been doing in Chicago,” his office said in a statement to media outlets.

New York City has struggled under the influx of migrants from other states. The city is required to house those who ask for assistance after a court order and Adams has repeatedly asked the federal government to step in with assistance.