Los Angeles to sue Texas over migrant buses

Texas Governor Greg Abbott is in the crosshairs of the city of Los Angeles over the private busing of migrants to that city.

AUSTIN (KXAN) — Texas Governor Greg Abbott is under scrutiny by the City of Los Angeles over the private busing of migrants to that city.

At Wednesday's city council meeting, on the agenda was an item about whether the Governor has committed human trafficking, sending buses to LA from the Rio Grande Valley.

LA City Council Member Hugo Soto-Martinez pointed out how earlier this month one bus arrived right as Hurricane Hilary hit Southern California.

"How heartless do you have to be to send toddlers and small children, knowing that everything the city was preparing for an unprecedented state of emergency?” Soto-Martinez said. “The callous and disregard for the lives of these families deserve a full investigation into the criminal actions and wrongdoing of Governor Greg Abbott."

Texas has sent at least 10 buses to LA since mid-June, but overall - since April of last year, Texas has bused more than 20,000 migrants to major cities across the country.

The Governor's office has maintained these people sign up voluntarily, and it is a way to get these migrants out of border communities, while they await asylum hearings.

KXAN reached out to the Governor's office about the developments with Los Angeles.

"The LA City Councilmembers are complete hypocrites. In June, they unanimously voted to become a sanctuary city, welcoming migrants to the city,” a spokesperson said. "Each bus is stocked with food and water and makes stops along the trip to refuel and switch drivers. Migrants are allowed to purchase any extra provisions or disembark at any of these stops."