DC Mayor Gets Illegal Immigrants, Declares Humanitarian Crisis

Even Democrats are starting to complain about the staggering number of migrants entering the United States.

Last week, Washington DC Mayor Muriel Bower (D) declared a “humanitarian crisis” and reiterated a request to the National Guard for help dealing with the increasing number of migrants arriving in the capital. 

Governors Greg Abbott (R-TX ) and Doug Ducey (R-AZ) started to send migrants to Washington and other “sanctuary cities” in April when President Biden announced an end to Title 42, a pandemic-era health order that directed officials to expel migrants at the border even if they were seeking asylum. 

By sending migrants to DC, leaders in southern states are expressing their frustrations regarding the Biden Administration’s failure to address the crisis at the southern border and giving Bowser a taste of the reality they are forced to live with each and every day.

“The migrant crisis facing our city and our country through cruel political gamesmanship from the Governors of Texas and Arizona must be dealt with at the federal level,” argued Bowser in a July 22nd request for troops. Washington did not respond to her request or address a similar request submitted on July 19th.

Bowser, who has long championed the acceptance of illegal immigrants as a human rights issue, claims the migrants are being “tricked” into coming to Washington. “With pledges from Texas and Arizona to continue these abhorrent operations indefinitely, the situation is dire, and we consider this a humanitarian crisis.”

Volunteers say they are surprised Bowser hasn’t made a public appearance. 

“We don’t see anybody from Mayor Bowser’s office here,” laments Isaias Guerrero, a volunteer with the Migrant Solidarity Mutual Aid Network. “We don’t see anybody from the Office of Latino Affairs here to say, ‘Welcome, how can we support you?’ even if it’s with waters…People just want to wash their hands because this is seen as a hot potato. But what it should be seen as is an opportunity for us to actually create a model of being welcoming.”

Some aid workers are nervous to work with the National Guard, even if the soldiers are unarmed. 

“What I’ve been hearing consistently from migrants is that when the military is there, they get treated like militants,” argues volunteer Bianca Vazquez.

Mayor Bowser’s request to use the DC Armory as a processing center has also been ignored.

Sources:

DC Mayor Bowser asks for National Guard to help with migrant buses from southern border: ‘Humanitarian crisis’ 

Here’s what you need to know about Title 42, the pandemic-era policy that quickly sends migrants to Mexico 

Immigrants looking for new lives are not a National Guards emergency

DC Mayor Requests National Guard to Help With Migrants Bused to Capital