Data obtained by NBC News suggests that Texas Governor Greg Abbott did not send any buses full of migrants out of the state in July.
This is despite his pledge at the Republican National Convention on July 17 to keep sending buses north until the border is “secure.”
Zero Bus Activity This July
In July 2023, Abbott had sent 95 buses carrying 4,281 migrants to cities across the country, according to figures from the Texas Division of Emergency Management obtained by NBC News through a Freedom of Information Act request.
However, this July, no buses were sent.
Impact of Biden’s Executive Action
The data, covering the period from April 11, 2022, to August 8, 2024, corroborates NBC News’s exclusive report from last week: the number of bus trips declined significantly after President Joe Biden’s executive action limiting asylum applications took effect in early June.
The decline continued due to a shortage of migrants to fill the buses.
January Surge and Fluctuations
In January, Abbott dispatched 156 buses to Democratic-led cities out of state.
This number decreased in February but rose again in March and April, with Texas sending over 100 buses each month to cities like Chicago, Denver, and New York, according to the data.
Decline Begins in May and Sharpens in June
By May, the number of buses began to fall, with 76 buses transporting just over 3,000 migrants.
The decline became more pronounced in June.
Bus Departures Before and After Biden’s June 4 Action
Before June 4, when Biden’s action took effect, five buses departed. On June 4, Abbott sent eight buses to Chicago, Denver, and New York.
After that date, only 15 more buses were dispatched. Data indicates that at least one bus departing Texas on June 11 may have been only half full, carrying 25 passengers instead of the usual 50.
Shortage of Migrants and Perceptions of Bus Cessation by July
By the end of July, migrant shelter operators in border cities informed NBC News that there were not enough migrants to fill the buses.
Officials in some Northern cities believed that no more buses were arriving.
Abbott’s Pledge at the RNC
At the Republican National Convention last month, delegates cheered when Abbott reiterated his commitment to sending buses full of migrants to Democratic-led cities.
“We have continued busing migrants to sanctuary cities all across the country,” Abbott declared. “Those buses will continue to roll until we finally secure our border.”
Bus Operations Cease in Some Cities Before the New Year
However, newly obtained data reveals that in some cities, the buses had actually ceased operation before the new year.
The last bus to Washington, D.C., arrived in October, and the last one to Philadelphia came in December. The final bus from Texas to Los Angeles arrived in mid-January 2024.
Linked to Abbott’s Border Actions
A spokesman for Abbott acknowledged the reduction in the number of migrants available for transport but attributed the decrease to the governor’s actions in Texas, which, according to the spokesman, led to an 85% drop in illegal crossings into the state.
“Fewer illegal crossings into Texas means there are fewer buses departing for sanctuary cities,” said spokesman Andrew Maheris.
Federal Processing and Release Rates
A spokesperson for the Texas Division of Emergency Management, which has managed bus logistics, noted that bus departures have fluctuated over time.
This variation is due to the number of individuals processed and released by the federal government in overwhelmed border communities, which affects passenger numbers.
Local Criticism of Overblown Migrant Influx Narratives
Carlos Sanchez, a spokesperson for Hidalgo County on the Mexican border, criticized the portrayal of migrant influxes as exaggerated by politicians.
“It was never really the talk of the town,” Sanchez told NBC News. “It may have been the talk of the governor’s office or the talk of the nation, but this notion that we are being overrun is just not reflected locally.”
