How much did NYC officials know about migrant bus arrivals?
NEW YORK - The crisis at the border has seen thousands of asylum seekers and migrants bused from Texas to New York City, forcing Mayor Eric Adams to declare a state of emergency.
However, questions have lingered over the processes that have sent the migrants to New York, and how much city officials knew about the buses arriving at the Port Authority.
FOX 5 NY has obtained 60 daily passenger manifests sent from El Paso, Texas to the mayor's office, the office of emergency management, and support organizations.
The documents show detailed information on all the charter buses that departed El Paso starting on August 23rd through October 20th, when the last bus left that city.
RELATED: Mayor Adams to close Randall’s Island tent shelter for asylum seekers
In an interview with FOX 5 NY last month, Laura Cruz-Acosta, the communication director of El Paso, said "We would coordinate with the NGO’s at the site and as well coordinate with the mayor’s offices as well as the emergency operations folks at the destination."
On the first bus on August 23rd, 35 Venezuelan migrants including 6 minors were onboard. The bus's manifest states that "shelter staff expressed wish to have this arrangement happen again should the need arise and were thankful for the support and relief so they could continue operating in their main mission of providing relief for the homeless," going on to say that "migrants were very happy with the 48 seater bus they were assigned and were excited about going to New York."
On some days, as many as 8 buses were arriving at the Port Authority, dropping off over 250 people.
RELATED: Judge delays end of migrant asylum restrictions to late December
The documents describe the number of buses, passengers, ages, and genders of the asylum seekers. Each manifest is dated and time-stamped and reveals the level of coordination between the two cities.
While this was happening, the city was spending hundreds of thousands of dollars to build two tent cities to house migrants. The first, in Orchard Beach, was quickly taken down due to flooding issues before being moved to Randalls Island.
The city says it cost $325,000 to put up and the same amount to then dismantle the Orchard Beach facility.
A report from the city’s independent budget office has estimated the full cost of ongoing support of asylum seekers, could cost the city $596 million over the course of a year.
Last week, the mayor announced the closing of the Randall’s Island tent city due to the low number of asylum seekers arriving in the city. The more than 280 single men staying there will now be transferred to the Watson hotel.