Plane Carrying Migrants from Texas to New York Diverted to Philadelphia
Hundreds of migrants, who were originally bound for New York City from Texas, found themselves diverted to Philadelphia on Tuesday night due to extreme weather conditions. This unexpected turn of events has raised concerns among city officials, who see it as part of a broader strategy by Texas Governor Greg Abbott to distribute asylum seekers to major cities.
The migrants, numbering around 200, had initially been scheduled to fly from El Paso to Kennedy Airport in New York. However, the unannounced and uncoordinated diversion led to their arrival in Philadelphia. From there, they were transported to the Port Authority Bus Terminal in New York City during the early hours of Wednesday morning.
City officials, including Mayor Eric Adams, have criticized Governor Abbott for what they perceive as an attempt to use asylum seekers as political pawns. A spokesperson for Mayor Adams expressed their concern, stating, “Last night — in another inhumane act of treating human beings like political pawns — Texas attempted to send an unannounced and uncoordinated plane with migrants to New York City that was only diverted to Philadelphia due to extreme weather, but whose passengers were then transported here via bus.”
This incident follows a recent pattern, where Texas has been diverting migrants to various cities, with Chicago receiving more than 120 migrants just last week. Mayor Adams reiterated his plea for assistance, saying, “There’s a high level of uncertainty as we continue to navigate these crises that we’re facing. Governor Abbott has made it clear he wants to destabilize cities and send thousands of migrants and asylum seekers here to the city. I have to navigate this city out of it. The bottom line is I’m the mayor, and it’s my obligation and responsibility to find the solutions, even if we’re not getting the help that we deserve from Washington, D.C., and we need more help from our partners in Albany as well as they go into this legislative session.”
The continuous influx of asylum seekers into New York City has placed significant pressure on the city’s resources, with officials reporting that more than 4,000 asylum seekers arrived in the city just last week.
As this situation unfolds, it highlights the ongoing challenges faced by cities like New York in managing the arrival and integration of asylum seekers, and the need for coordinated efforts between federal, state, and local governments to address these issues effectively.
Migrannts
