The Adams administration filed a lawsuit Thursday against 17 bus companies for allegedly transporting tens of thousands of migrants to New York City, claiming the companies were carrying out Texas Gov. Greg Abbott’s “evil intention” of shifting the costs of the migrants’ care to sanctuary cities under a state-funded transport program he launched in 2022.
The city is seeking to recoup $708 million in migrant costs incurred over the last two years.
The lawsuit is based on a New York state social services law that states “[a]ny person who knowingly brings, or causes to be brought a needy person from out of state into this state for the purpose of making him a public charge … shall be obligated to convey such person out of state or support him at his own expense.” A public charge is someone deemed to be likely to primarily rely on government benefits and, in immigration cases, may be denied lawful entry into the country or legal residence on that basis.
The complaint, filed in state Supreme Court, represents a new front in Mayor Eric Adams’ attempt to control the flow of new arrivals coming from Texas after crossing the United States’ southern border. Since April 2022, Texas has covered bus fares for migrants bound for New York City as well as other cities led by Democratic mayors, including Chicago, Washington, D.C., Denver, Philadelphia and Los Angeles.
Last month, the effort expanded to planes.
“New York City has and will always do our part to manage this humanitarian crisis, but we cannot bear the costs of reckless political ploys from the state of Texas alone,” Adams said in a statement. “Governor Abbott’s continued use of migrants as political pawns is not only chaotic and inhumane but makes clear he puts politics over people. Today’s lawsuit should serve as a warning to all those who break the law in this way.”
Most of the companies either did not immediately respond to requests for comment or could not be reached for comment Thursday….
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