As the number of migrants arriving at the U.S.-Mexico border continues to surge, Democratic-led cities are struggling to cope with the influx. With resources dwindling, some cities have begun paying for migrants’ tickets to other places.
The situation is particularly dire in Denver, Colorado, where nearly half of the 27,000 migrants who have arrived since November 2022 have chosen to take a bus ticket out of the city. New York and Illinois are also seeing a rise in the number of migrants being bused out.
These measures are being taken in an effort to free up shelter beds and other resources for new arrivals. However, they are also raising concerns about the treatment of migrants.
Some critics argue that busing migrants out of cities is akin to “dumping” them on other communities. They also worry that migrants may be sent to places where they are not welcome or where they may not have the support they need.
Proponents of the busing policy argue that it is a necessary step to manage the influx of migrants. They say that it is better to provide migrants with a safe and comfortable way to travel to their final destinations than to have them sleeping on the streets.
The debate over busing migrants is likely to continue as the border crisis shows no signs of abating. In the meantime, cities are struggling to find solutions that will work for both migrants and the communities that are hosting them.