Buses carrying immigrants from Texas usually dropped off passengers around Washington’s Union Station. Volunteers were set to receive a bus Thursday at the station, but learned the buses went to the Naval Observatory, volunteers said. Thursday’s passengers include families and young men. About 70% to 80% of the migrants are from Venezuela, according to volunteers. They had some items in garbage bags and some documents. Some are trying to go to other places in the US, such as Chicago and New York, but on Thursday they were waiting to be picked up and transported to get help, volunteers said. SAMU First Response, one of the groups helping immigrants in Washington, D.C., was not alerted, according to the group’s CEO, Tatiana Laborde. Abbott began bringing immigrants to the nation’s capital in April. Arizona followed suit, and both states have since sent thousands of immigrants to Washington. Abbott expanded the Texas effort to include New York and Chicago. And Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis this week claimed credit for sending two planes carrying migrants to Martha’s Vineyard in Massachusetts. Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser last week declared a public health emergency over Texas and Arizona’s moves — in an effort to help officials mobilize resources more quickly. He announced a new government office that will provide basic needs to incoming migrants, including meals, transportation, emergency medical care and transportation to connect people with resettlement services. Browser last week also criticized Abbott and Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey for their actions, saying they were creating a “swelling humanitarian crisis.” Abbott’s tweet on Thursday took aim at President Joe Biden’s administration and Harris. “Vice President Harris claims our border is ‘secure’ and denies crisis,” the governor tweeted. “We’re sending immigrants to her backyard to call on the Biden administration to do its job and secure the border.”
The US is grappling with the rise of Venezuelan immigrants
Immigrants released from state custody are allowed to move into the United States as they go through immigration procedures. The US is grappling with a surge of immigrants from Venezuela who have left in large numbers due to a worsening situation in that country.
Frosty relations between the US and Venezuela prevent the US from deporting some people. Many Venezuelan immigrants also seek asylum upon arrival in the US.
Two medical conditions involving Thursday’s passengers were reported: a diabetic who had not refrigerated his insulin for at least 40 hours and a person with a rash believed to have come from crossing the Rio Grande, which separates Texas from Mexico, they said volunteers.
