Texas is considering a plan to increase the number of immigrant buses again, but instead of sending them to sanctuary cities, officials would send newly arrived illegal immigrants directly to ICE detention centers to speed up deportation processing. Lone Star State officials said they would do so. post.
The proposal, which has not been approved by Texas Governor Greg Abbott, is intended to continue Operation Lone Star, which deters immigrants from entering the country illegally.
“As long as we're a border state, we're always going to be involved in border security,” a Texas official said.
“We've spent a lot of taxpayer money to have comparable deterrents at our borders, and we can't just walk away.”
The president-elect's new border czar, Tom Homan, said he is interested in working with Texas to make that happen.
Under the proposed plan, buses chartered by Texas from border cities would be routed from sanctuary cities such as New York, Chicago and Denver to federal detention centers so Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents could process them more quickly. will be changed, officials said.
“That's a way we can be involved in it and of course they'll reimburse us for the cost. [bus] We have signed a contract,” the source said.
Mr. Abbott's office did not respond to requests for comment from the Post.
Homan told the Post that Abbott did not bring up the idea when he visited the Texas border with the governor earlier this week. But he said he was “looking forward to talking to them about it.”
“We will support and work together to help them complete this mission and secure Texas. [Abbott] “He doesn't have to worry about the government suing him to protect Texas' borders,” he added.
Starting in 2022, Texas has bussed nearly 120,000 migrants from the border to New York, Washington, D.C., Philadelphia, Los Angeles and Chicago in a bid to draw attention to the massive problem at the border.
Approximately 45,900 immigrants were sent to New York City alone.
But the buses stopped running over the summer as the number of border crossings into Texas dropped dramatically, in part due to the state's efforts to tighten and police its own borders.
Texas Congressman Brian Harrison said that by voting to re-elect President Trump, voters are “directly rejecting Biden's radical open border policies” that will “ensure the safety of fewer Americans.” I did,” he said.
Texas has already offered land along the border to the incoming Trump administration for the construction of a deportation center to hold criminal illegal immigrants.
“My office has identified several properties and is ready to bring this to fruition on the first day of President Trump's term,” Texas Land Commissioner Dawn Buckingham said during a visit to the border on Tuesday. Ta.
Homan said the first wave of deportations will prioritize illegal immigrants who pose a threat to public safety and national security.
