New York City Mayor Eric Adams has filed a lawsuit seeking more than $700m from 17 transport companies that have bussed migrants from Texas to New York City, claiming they violated New York Social Services Law.
In the filing, submitted to the New York Supreme Court on Thursday, Mr Adams claimed the bus companies “knowingly” brought migrants in need of care from Texas to New York City which violates a section of the law that prohibits “making [a needy person] a public charge”.
Mr Adams alleges that Texas Governor Greg Abbott implemented a “scheme” to transport tens of thousands of migrants to the city “in an attempt to overwhelm our social services” which the mayor believes is a political tactic.
Mr Abbott has taken an aggressive approach to handling the influx of migrants arriving in the US through Mexico and directed buses to transport them to cities across the country – particularly to Democratic-run cities.
Mr Adams said more than 33,600 migrants have arrived in New York without warning, sending the city into a humanitarian crisis.
He is seeking “no less than $708m” from the 17 named defendants as cost of care for the individuals transported and any future individuals.
“New York City has and will continue to do our part to manage this humanitarian crisis. But we cannot bear the cost of reckless political ploys from the state of Texas alone,” Mr Adams said in a recorded video.
Over the last year, Mr Adams has sought relief from federal agencies to assist in paying for shelter, food and education as well as asked the Biden administration to make work authorisations more readily available.
The mayor has vocally criticised President Joe Biden and his administration for failing to intervene in the crisis.
Over the last few weeks, Mr Adams has taken a more aggressive approach to controlling the number of migrants entering New York City. Last week, he implemented an executive order restricting when buses may arrive by asking them to provide 32-hour notice and only arrive within certain hours.
Mr Adams alleged in the lawsuit on Thursday that the defendants acted in “bad faith” by circumventing the executive order by dropping migrants off outside of New York City and directing them to take trains.
The transport companies named in the lawsuit are Buckeye Coach, Cardigan Tours, Classic Elegance Coaches, Coastal Crew Change Company, Ejecutivo Enterprises, El Paso United Charters, Garcia and Garcia Enterprises, JY Charter Bus Inc, Lily’s Bus Lines, Mayo Tours, Norteno Express, Roadrunner Charters, Southwest Crew Change Company, Transportes Regiomontanos, VLP Charter, Windstar Lines and Wynne Transportation.
