New York City Mayor Eric Adams has announced a lawsuit against 17 bus and transportation companies for their involvement in transporting asylum-seekers to the city amid its ongoing budget challenges stemming from the migrant crisis. The city is seeking a total of $708 million in damages to cover the costs of providing care for the migrants.

Mayor Adams expressed the city's commitment to addressing the humanitarian crisis but emphasized that the financial burden cannot solely be shouldered by New York City. In a statement, he said, "Today, we are taking legal action against 17 companies that have taken part in Texas Governor Abbott's scheme to transport tens of thousands of migrants to New York City in an attempt to overwhelm our social services system."

The lawsuit, which is yet to be reviewed by the county clerk, accuses the transportation companies of violating state law by not reimbursing the city for the expenses incurred in caring for the migrants. The legal action aims to recoup approximately $700 million already spent on providing support to migrants sent to New York City over the past two years by Texas.

New York City has been grappling with the financial strain of accommodating tens of thousands of migrants since the initiation of "Operation Lone Star" by Governor Greg Abbott. Governor Abbott revealed on December 29 that the state had sent over 33,600 migrants to New York City since August 2022.

The lawsuit identifies the following transportation companies as defendants: Buckeye Coach, Carduan Tours, Classic Elegance Coaches, Coastal Crew Change Company, Ejecutivo Enterprises, El Paso United Charters, Garcia and Garcia Enterprises, JY Charter Bus, Lily's Bus Lines, Mayo Tours, Norteno Express, Roadrunner Charters, Southwest Crew Change Company, Transportes Regiomontanos, VLP Charter, Windstar Lines, and Wynne Transportation.

According to the lawsuit, the defendants have generated millions of dollars in revenue by implementing the Texas Governor's plan as of November 27, 2023.

Citing Section 149 of the New York Social Services law, which stipulates that individuals bringing needy persons from out of state into New York must bear the expense of their support, the lawsuit seeks to hold the transportation companies accountable for their role in transporting migrants without fulfilling their financial obligations.

Governor Kathy Hochul of New York expressed support for the lawsuit, condemning Governor Abbott's use of migrants as political pawns. She stated, "If companies are receiving payment to transport people in need of public assistance into our state, they should be responsible for the cost of sheltering those individuals, rather than passing the expense onto hard-working New Yorkers."

Mayor Adams and Governor Hochul have repeatedly called for federal government support to address the financial impact resulting from the influx of migrants into the city.

In late December, Mayor Adams also issued an executive order aimed at improving coordination with charter bus companies transporting newly arrived migrants in order to ensure their safety and the well-being of city staff involved in receiving them.

"This surge of migrants arriving in New York City is expected to intensify due to Governor Abbott's cruel and inhumane policies," Mayor Adams stated in a press release.

In a previous interview in August 2022, Governor Abbott accused Mayor Adams of playing politics and being a hypocrite, citing New York City's self-declaration as a "sanctuary city." However, Mayor Adams' actions highlight the financial strain placed on the city's resources by Governor Abbott's transportation initiatives.

The lawsuit serves as a response to the challenges faced by New York City as it grapples with the ongoing migrant crisis. The record-breaking 302,000 migrant encounters at the southern border in December, as reported by Customs and Border Protection, further underscore the urgency of finding sustainable solutions to support both asylum-seekers and the communities receiving them.