(NewsNation) — The state of Texas has sent more than 12,000 migrants from the southern border to Democrat-led sanctuary cities, according to Gov. Greg Abbott.
On Monday, the Republican Texas governor said on Twitter that as part of Operation Lone Star, 12,300 migrants have been transported to Washington, D.C., New York City and Chicago.
D.C. received the most at about 8,200, followed by New York City with more than 3,200. Abbott said Chicago received more than 920 migrants as part of the operation.
That’s fewer than what the city of Chicago announced Monday, saying they’ve “welcomed 2,745 asylum-seekers who arrived on buses from the Texas border,” in a news release Monday.
In addition to the state of Texas busing migrants, the city of El Paso, on the southern border in west Texas, told NewsNation’s Ali Bradley that more than 2,400 migrants have been sent to Chicago and an additional 8,700 to New York City.
The Chicago news release said when they arrive, the migrants are provided with immediate shelter and receive services from government agencies and community organizations.
Meanwhile, in New York City, the mayor has declared a state of emergency, saying the demand on the city to provide shelter is “not sustainable,” according to NewsNation partner Border Report.
“A city recovering from an ongoing global pandemic is being overwhelmed by a humanitarian crisis made by human hands,” Mayor Eric Adams said. “We are at the edge of the precipice. … We need help. And we need it now.”
In D.C., buses have been dropping migrants off in front of Vice President Kamala Harris’ residence, most recently last week.
D.C. officials told NewsNation last week that they didn’t receive advanced notice the migrants were arriving, but they would be helping them seek basic needs including shelter and health care.