El Paso mayor sent migrants to NY to 'help them to their destinations'

El Paso's Democratic mayor said Sunday that he is only busing migrants to New York City to help them get to their final destination as critics pointed out the hypocrisy in the left condemning Republicans for doing the same thing.

Mayor Oscar Leeser said migrants aren't coming to the U. S. just to land in his border city, but instead are looking to go to other places in the country – potentially where they have family or other sponsors.

'The people are not coming to El Paso,' Leeser said. 'They're coming to America.'

He said that authorities in El Paso speak to migrants and ask them where they want to go before 'we will take them and help them get to their destination.'

'That's been really important that we don't send anyone where they don't want to go,' he added in an interview with ABC's This Week on Sunday morning. 'We make sure we help them.'

'We put them on buses with food and make sure they get to their destination and make sure that we always continue to greet and treat people like human beings.'

Leeser's explanation comes despite criticism from Democrats after GOP Governors in Texas, Florida and Arizona bussed and flew migrants to other cities after illegally crossing into the U. S.

Republican Governors Greg Abbott of Texas and Doug Ducey of Arizona have bused migrants to Washington, D. C., New York City and Chicago, Illinois. GOP Governor Ron DeSantis of Florida flew migrants from his state last week to the luxury Martha's Vineyard island off the coast of Massachusetts.

After the latest stunt, Lesser insisted that he is not sending migrants to places they do not want to go – and instead is working to make sure they get to their desired destinations.

Lesser and his Democrat government in El Paso have been sending migrants to the sanctuary city for weeks – and asking the Biden administration to front the bill.

The Texas border city has dispatched at least 28 charter buses filled with migrants to the Big Apple since August 23, at a cost of more than $600,000, KFOX-TV reported this week.

City officials say that they expect the buses to be paid for by Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), as part of a quarterly reimbursement process covering emergency food and shelter for migrants.

The buses arranged by El Paso have escaped the intense criticism heaped on GOP Governors Abbott and DeSantis, whom the White House accused of treating migrants as 'chattel' and 'political pawns.'

GOP officials say they're keen to give liberal sanctuary cities an insight into the strain uncontrolled illegal immigration is bringing to border communities.

Conservatives were quick to point out the apparent double standard, with radio host Bruce Hooley tweeting: 'Another example of, 'When Democrats do it, it's perfectly fine.''

Reporter Bill Melugin of KTTV observed: 'The Democrat-led city of El Paso, TX has been sending its own buses of migrants to NYC, and just approved up to a $2 million contract for 16 months to bus even more migrants out of town.'

'They are also requesting federal reimbursement. El Paso, however, is not being criticized,' he added.

Abbott has been sending buses to New York, Chicago, and DC, including to the vice president's doorstep, and this week DeSantis dispatched a plane with 50 migrants to Martha's Vineyard, the wealthy Massachusetts island.... (Read more)

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