Another bus containing migrants from Texas arrived in downtown Los Angeles over the weekend, the fifth to arrive since June 14, Mayor Karen Bass’ office announced.
Before Saturday’s bus arrived, the most recent arrival took place Tuesday, when a bus of migrants that originated in Brownsville, Texas arrived at Union Station.
The L.A. Welcome Collective said those immigrants were from Brazil, Chile, China, Colombia, Guetemala, Haiti, Honduras and Venezuela.
The group, which is composed of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, Clergy and Laity United for Economic Justice, Central American Resource Center-Los Angeles, Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights, Esperanza Immigration Rights Project, and Immigrant Defenders Law Center, issued a statement Wednesday.
“The L.A. Welcomes Collective reiterates our commitment to work hand in hand with our City of Los Angeles and County of Los Angeles partners to receive and guide asylum seekers when they arrive,” the L.A. Welcome Collective said. “As a united front, we hope to serve as a beacon of hope to those seeking safe harbor as well as advocate for every human being be treated with dignity and respect, regardless of immigration status.”
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott recently proclaimed his state’s border region “overrun” and hinted that more shipments of immigrants could follow.
“Texas’ small border towns remain overwhelmed and overrun by the thousands of people illegally crossing into Texas from Mexico because of President Biden’s refusal to secure the border,” Abbott said in a statement after the first bus arrived. “Los Angeles is a major city that migrants seek to go to, particularly now that its city leaders approved its self-declared sanctuary city status. Our border communities are on the front lines of President Biden’s border crisis, and Texas will continue providing this much-needed relief until he steps up to do his job and secure the border.”
In June, the Los Angeles City Council unanimously passed a motion directing the city to draft a “Sanctuary City” ordinance that, when passed, would prohibit any city resources, property or personnel from being utilized for any federal immigration enforcement.
City News Service contributed to this article.
