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Can Gov. Greg Abbott’s Immigration Gambit Turn Democrats Against the White House?

AP Photo/LM Otero

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott remains undeterred in his effort to force open borders Democrats to reap the consequences of the policies they support. Conversely, Democrats remain undeterred in their incessant whining about having to take care of all these migrants they claim to care about. For people who drone on and on about how much we need to welcome migrants into the U.S., they are not too keen on the idea when these folks show up in their backyards.

But if Abbott and Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey keep going with this initiative, is there a chance – no matter how small – that they could compel at least some of these Democrats to push back against the White House’s mishandling of the migrant crisis?

The latest in a series of “Not In My Backyard” exclamations coming from leftist politicians, New York City Mayor Eric Adams lashed out at Abbott for making him deal with the fallout from the ongoing migrant crisis. The mayor was present on Sunday morning when another group of migrants was delivered to the city courtesy of the Abbot Express™.

During a conversation with reporters at the Port Authority, Adams said: “This is horrific, when you think about what the governor is doing.”

The mayor continued: “It is unimaginable what the governor of Texas has done, when you think about this country, a country that has always been open to those who were fleeing persecution.”

“We’ve always welcomed them. And this governor is not doing that in Texas. But we are going to set the right tone of being here for these families,” Adams added, explaining that some of the families “wanted to go to other locations, and they were not allowed to do so.”

“They were forced on the bus,” he claimed. “Our goal is to immediately find out each family’s needs and give them the assistance they want.”

Horrific?

Folks like Adams and Washington, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser are ardent proponents of open borders policies, but Adams is horrified by the idea of having to take care of them in his city? It’s almost like these folks are only fans of open borders when it is southern states that have to deal with the problems that come with these policies.

Last week, Abbott stated he would expand his migrant busing efforts to include New York City. Up until that point, D.C. had been the only recipient of migrants and illegal immigrants apprehended at the border. He cited President Joe Biden’s “continued refusal to acknowledge the crisis caused by his open border policies,” which meant that Texas had to take “unprecedented action to keep our communities safe.”

“In addition to Washington, D.C., New York City is the ideal destination for these migrants, who can receive the abundance of city services and housing that Mayor Eric Adams has boasted about within the sanctuary city,” Abbott said in a written statement released on August 5.

“I hope he follows through on his promise of welcoming all migrants with open arms so that our overrun and overwhelmed border towns can find relief,” he added.

Last Friday, Abbott’s office declared it would be sending even more migrants to New York City and that the Port Authority Bus Terminal in midtown Manhattan would be the designated drop-off point going forward. “Over 50 migrants were bused to New York City this morning from the southern border in Texas,” Abbott’s office said in a statement.

“Abbott has already dispatched dozens of buses — filled with more than 6,500 migrants — to Washington DC since April,” according to the New York Post.

The governor promised to continue sending migrants to New York, D.C., and other cities as the migrant crisis continues.

As I’ve written before, the Abbot Express™ is a brilliant move politically. Not only does it force Democrats to deal with the consequences of their policies, it’s a clever way to draw attention to the growing crisis at the southern border, an issue the activist media is largely ignoring. But it could have an even greater effect if Texas and Arizona refuse to let up.

At some point, the situation could become untenable for D.C., New York City, and other areas where these states are sending their migrants. Indeed, Bowser’s request to have the National Guard assist in handling the influx of migrants was denied, which will make it harder for her administration to figure out a solution. If more blue cities are swarmed with migrants like border towns have been over the past year and a half, perhaps they might change their tune – even temporarily.

Biden has already received criticism from Democrats like Rep. Henry Cuellar (D-TX) for his failure to solve the problem. But most left-leaning politicians are insulated from the matter. Since they are not interested in what is happening at the southern border, perhaps the solution is to bring the border to them.

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