AUSTIN, Texas — Texas Gov. Greg Abbott announced Friday that he instructed the Texas Division of Emergency Management (TDEM) to send more buses to the border towns of Eagle Pass and El Paso to assist with the thousands of migrant arrivals into the U.S.

“President Biden’s continued refusal to secure our border invites thousands of illegal crossings into Texas and our nation each day," Abbott wrote in a news release Friday. "Texas communities like Eagle Pass and El Paso should not have to shoulder the unprecedented surge of illegal immigration caused by President Biden’s reckless open border policies. I have directed the Texas Division of Emergency Management to deploy additional buses to send these migrants to self-declared sanctuary cities and provide much-needed relief to our overrun border towns."

Eagle Pass declared a state of emergency earlier this week in response to an influx of more than 4,000 migrants into the city — a majority of them from Venezuela — crossed the border into the West Texas border town in the span of two days. The influx of migrants prompted  Eagle Pass Mayor Rolando Salinas to reinstate an affidavit allowing Texas Department of Public Safety troopers to arrest those who have crossed the border illegally. Abbott had also enlisted the help of DPS troopers, Texas military and local law enforcement to attempt to aid the situation.

Abbott has tried many things to get immigration into Texas under control. He launched Operation Lone Star in March 2021. He’s also bused migrants to Democrat-led cities, including Los Angeles, New York, Chicago, Philadelphia and Washington. 

On Friday, the 15th bus of migrants arrived in Los Angeles from Texas. According to City News Service, on board were 13 families, including 23 children from Colombia, Mexico, Peru and Venezuela. 

Abbott's policy of busing asylum seekers has drawn fire from mayors and other critics, who say their cities are overwhelmed and that migrants arrive needing immediate help, medical and otherwise.