Texas buses have transported more than 11,000 migrants to sanctuary cities
AUSTIN, Texas - Texas Gov. Greg Abbott's office says more than 11,000 migrants have been transported to cities run by Democratic mayors since April.
The governor gave the new numbers as part of an update on the progress of the governor's border security-focused Operation Lone Star.
RELATED: Republican governors stepping up efforts to bus migrants to Democratic cities
The governor's office says more than 8,000 asylum seekers have been sent to Washington, D.C. since April, more than 2,500 to New York City since August 5 and more than 600 Texas migrants have been bused to Chicago.
The program requires asylum seekers from the border to volunteer to take the trip across the country. Gov. Abbott's office says the program is "providing much-needed relief to our overwhelmed border communities."
RELATED: 2 buses of migrants dropped off outside VP Harris’s residence near Naval Observatory in DC
On Thursday, 2 buses of migrants from Texas arrived outside of Vice President Kamala Harris' residence in Washington, D.C.
"The Biden-Harris Administration continues ignoring and denying the historic crisis at our southern border, which has endangered and overwhelmed Texas communities for almost two years," said Gov. Abbott. "Our supposed Border Czar, Vice President Kamala Harris, has yet to even visit the border to see firsthand the impact of the open border policies she has helped implement, even going so far as to claim the border is ‘secure.’"
Gov. Abbott's border plan has led to harsh criticism from Democrats.
Abbott's challenger in November's election, former Congressman Beto O'Rourke, tweeted on Friday "Abbott is all stunts, all the time. I'll be a governor who is focused on solutions and on delivering for the people of Texas."
RELATED: Texas governor poll: Abbott leads O'Rourke in governor's race
New York congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez responded to the governor's tweet announcing the migrant's arrival at the Vice President's residence tweeting, "I remember how folks stepped up to help Texans when you left them cold and hungry during the freeze. We will welcome these families too. They have so much to offer."