Greg Abbott says Eric Adams is 'aiding and abetting' border crisis with NYC's sanctuary status: 'Country is being invaded'

Texas Republican Governor Greg Abbott slammed New York City Democratic Mayor Eric Adams on Sunday for "aiding and abetting" the Biden administration's open-border policies with the city's sanctuary status, Fox News Digital reported.

Abbott responded to Adams' previous claims that the governor was "morally bankrupt" and using migrants as "political pawns," referring to Abbott busing individuals from Texas to several Democrat-run cities, including New York City and Chicago.

At the New York Republican Party's annual gala on Thursday, Abbott explained to the audience why Texas began busing illegal migrants to New York City.

"We made clear by contacting [Adams'] office, and said, 'We're not sending them to New York. That's Joe Biden sending them to New York,'" Abbott stated. "But the criticism kept coming, kept coming, kept coming, despite our denial. So after a while I figured, 'Gosh, If I'm going to get the criticism, I want to get the credit.' And thus began the busing of illegal immigrants to the sanctuary city of New York City."

Fabien Levy, a spokesperson for Adams' office, posted on X, "Remember that [Abbott] lied in 2022 about this and falsely claimed we never reached out when we found he was bussing migrants to NYC before he finally admitted to doing so."

Before Abbott's visit to New York City, Adams said he would invite the governor to stay at one of the city's migrant shelters.

"I'm going to offer him a stay in one of the HERRCs [Humanitarian Emergency Response and Relief Centers] so he can see what he has created and understand how we are treating people with the dignity and respect that he should have shown as well," Adams remarked during a recent press conference.

"I'm not quite sure why he's here and what he's doing while here," Adams continued. "But he's going to see how you can manage the crisis with coordination."

Abbott denied Adams' claims that he was using migrants as "political pawns."

"The person who is actually using illegal immigrants as political pawns is Joe Biden. Joe Biden has created this open border policy that has allowed illegal immigrants into our country to appeal to and to appease the far-leftist in the Democrat party… while at the same time destroying the country that he's in charge of. He is the commander in chief in charge of national security for our country. Our country is being invaded in ways that put our country at risk because of the political games that Joe Biden has played," Abbott told Fox News on Sunday.

Abbott argued that Adams' sanctuary policies are "aiding and abetting" Biden's open border policies and creating safety concerns for New York City residents.

"He needs to stop talking boldly about illegal immigration and the migrants that Texas is sending there. And he needs to step up and do his own job, because look at the dangers in New York City under his watch. You have a police officer who was killed. You have the train system in New York, which is treacherous for travelers. You got police officers attacked in Times Square by illegal immigrants," Abbott continued. "He needs to step up and do his job as mayor and protect the people in his community as opposed to gimmicks about what's going on on the border."

Fox News Digital reported that approximately 180,000 migrants have arrived in the city since 2022. According to Abbott's office, Texas has bused more than 41,000 illegal migrants to New York City since August 2022.

Earlier this year, Adams lodged lawsuits against 17 bus companies to stop Abbott's effort to relocate the illegal migrants to New York City. At least three charter companies have confirmed they are no longer transporting the migrants to the city.

During a February town hall meeting, Adams called for changes to the city's sanctuary policy despite previously voicing support for the measures that prevent local law enforcement from coordinating with federal immigration agents.

"The overwhelming number of migrants and asylum-seekers that are here, they want to work. I still don't understand why the federal government is not allowing them to work. They need to have the right to work, like all of us that have come to this country have had the ability to do so," Adams stated. "But those small numbers that have committed crimes, we need to modify the sanctuary city law that if you commit a felony or violent act, we should be able to turn you over to [United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement] and have you deported."

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