HOUSTON — Texas has been busing migrants to Washington DC and New York City for months.
The state's emergency management division said it has cost taxpayers more than $12 million.
Since April, when Gov. Greg Abbott announced the state's plan, there have been between 8,000 to 9,000 migrants sent out of state.
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Abbott's office said the migrants are only being sent with their written permission.
While some Houston-area experts said they feel like the bus rides are unnecessary, Sen. Ted Cruz said they are.
"Six thousand illegal immigrants we have bussed to Washington DC and the Democratic mayor there said it’s a humanitarian crisis. The Democratic mayor of New York City has likewise said it is a humanitarian crisis. I agree. Texas is bearing a far bigger portion of that burden," Cruz said.
Associate Professor of law at the University of Houston Law Center Daniel Morales said it's all a stunt.
"The same logic occurred when he (Abbott) sent the National Guard to the border. There is no need for these exercises. They don’t help immigrants. They don't help the state. But they do get Greg Abbott some time on Fox News and that is what he wants," Morales said.
Abbott's office issued a statement saying the decision was made as part of a series of actions to secure the Texas border.
“Governor Abbott has taken unprecedented action to address this Biden-made crisis, deploying thousands of Texas National Guard soldiers and DPS troopers and allocating over $4 billion of Texas taxpayer money to secure our border, including building our own border wall, erecting strategic barriers and providing relief for our overrun and overwhelmed border towns by busing migrants to Washington, D.C. and New York City,” the statement said.
On Wednesday, the governor announced Texas is now sending buses to Chicago in addition to Washington, D.C. and New York City.