() — The state of Texas has spent more than $12 million transporting immigrants to Washington and New York City, according to figures from the Texas Division of Emergency Management.
A state government spreadsheet obtained by through a Freedom of Information Act request shows that as of August 9, Texas has paid $12,707,720.92 to Wynne Transportation, the charter service that takes migrants to the two cities.
The office of Republican Governor Greg Abbott has said that immigrants are transported out of state only with their written permission. It is not clear what other options have been offered to immigrants.
Abbott’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment from on Tuesday. In a news release Friday, Abbott’s office said “the busing mission is bringing much-needed relief to our overwhelmed border communities.”
Texas has solicited private donations to help pay for the cost of bus rides, but the state had only received $167,828 as of Aug. 17. At a news conference in April to announce the program, Abbott acknowledged that taxpayers were likely to end up footing part of the bill.
“Because (President) Joe Biden is not securing the border, the state of Texas has to step up and spend Texas taxpayer money on the work of the federal government,” the governor said at the time.
State agencies have provided conflicting figures on the exact number of immigrants Texas has bused out of the state, ranging from 8,051 to 9,033. That equates to a cost of at least US$1,400 per migrant to be transported.
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