Greg Abbott Slammed After Migrants Dropped Off in DC

The White House and prominent Democrats are blasting Texas Gov. Greg Abbott after three busloads of migrants were dropped off in frigid weather on Christmas Eve outside of Vice President Kamala Harris' DC home. "Governor Abbott abandoned children on the side of the road in below freezing temperatures on Christmas Eve without coordinating with any Federal or local authorities," a White House representative said in a statement, per the Hill. "This was a cruel, dangerous, and shameful stunt." Video posted online showed some of the migrants bundled up in blankets as they boarded a bus to a local church for shelter, arranged by a local aid group after they were left outside of Harris' residence at the capital's Naval Observatory.

Amy Fischer of the Migrant Solidarity Mutual Aid Network told CNN that the buses were originally headed for New York, but inclement weather forced them to detour to DC instead. The migrants "don't have clothes for this kind of weather and they're freezing," she said, slamming Abbott's "cruelty," per WJLA. Abbott hasn't yet claimed responsibility for sending the buses, though he and other Republican governors like Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey have done so previously, in what they say is their attempt to draw attention to the immigration problems at the southern border.

Abbott's Twitter feed so far hasn't made any mention of the migrant buses. On Sunday, he instead posted a "Merry Christmas!" tweet showing him and his family, as well as one thanking the Texas National Guard for "serving our state and country on the border on Christmas day." That didn't keep Democrats from lobbing criticism. "How Christian of you, Greg Abbott," tweeted Rep. Joaquin Castro of Texas, calling the governor "worthless." Rep. Ritchie Torres of New York noted that "dropping off migrants in 18 degree weather is so cruel that it ought to be criminal." California Rep. Eric Swalwell, meanwhile, tied his pushback to the holiday at hand. "Guess we know how Greg Abbott, a 'practicing' Roman Catholic, would have treated Jesus, Mary & Joseph," he wrote. (More migrants stories.)