Texas governor to send migrants to D.C.

Republican Gov. Greg Abbott announced Wednesday he is authorizing 900 buses to carry migrants who illegally cross the U.S.-Mexico border to Washington, D.C. Abbott said the federal government can better address the needs of “hordes of illegal immigrants” and that the first stop is the U.S. Capitol steps. Abbott plans to announce more measures next week as part of his promised “unprecedented action” to address an immigration crisis.

What else will change? State troopers near the border will start stopping and inspecting commercial vehicles, which human smugglers are known to use. This is expected to dramatically slow traffic. State authorities are ordered to form boat blockades on the Rio Grande and install barbed wire in low-river crossings to deter migrants. Border Patrol officials are preparing for up to 18,000 arrivals daily once Title 42, a pandemic health rule that allowed the immediate removal of many migrants, expires. Former Trump administration officials have urged lawmakers to declare an illegal invasion to give law enforcement the authority to send migrants back, but it is unclear whether states have the authority to do this.

Dig deeper: Read Addie Michaelian’s report in Compassion about administration-sponsored detention alternatives for migrants.