Undocumented Migrants Arrive in D.C., Facing Uncertain Future

April 14, 2022

WASHINGTON D.C. – On Wednesday morning, the first bus of undocumented migrants from Texas’ southern border arrived in the nation’s capital. Last week, Texas Governor Greg Abbott (R) directed the Texas Division of Emergency Management to transport migrants to D.C. This action is part of the Republican governor’s strategy to counter the Biden administration’s rescinding of Title 42, a Trump-era border policy.

The migrants from Columbia, Cuba, Venezuela, and Nicaragua who arrived at the U.S.-Mexico border on Sunday were processed by federal authorities and offered a voluntary bus ride to Washington, D.C. Family Research Council correspondent, Marjorie Jackson, spoke with the asylum seekers and discovered that the bus departed from Del Rio on Monday morning and embarked on a 36-hour journey. Upon arrival at Union Station, the group was met by Catholic Charities, a nationwide refugee resettlement agency. The migrants were offered food, clothes, and legal advice.

Manuel, an undocumented migrant from Venezuela, said he’s come to America seeking a better life for his family since the economic situation is becoming increasingly difficult in his home country. He is on his way to New York where his case will be heard in immigration court.

Recently, the Biden administration announced the termination of Title 42, effective May 23. This policy was established in spring 2020 to stop the spread of COVID by preventing asylum seekers from crossing the U.S.-Mexico border. Title 42 has since prevented approximately 1.7 million attempts by undocumented individuals from entering the country.

On “Washington Watch,” Texas Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick (R) explained the effects of repealing Title 42.

“By the end of the first term of Biden, we could be close to having one out of every five people living in America being here illegally,” Patrick said. “We’re projecting that another 10 and a half million people will come in during the next three years.”

The GOP lawmaker went on to explain that the influx of illegal migrants will not only affect the education system and workforce, but it will impact the course of elections throughout the country.

“The Biden administration’s next move—you’ll see soon—will be to give everyone a green card. And that’s the pathway to citizenship [and a] pathway to voting. And then you have, in the next decade or so, 30 or 40 million voters, many of them that will want to vote Democrat because he’s the one who brought them here. They want to control the elections and make this a one-party country.”

Today, another busload of undocumented migrants arrived in the Capitol at 4:30 a.m. It is unclear what their final destinations will be.

Deborah Laker is Staff Writer at Family Research Council.