Arrival of migrants decried by more NJ mayors — and they’re all Democrats
🔴 Trenton Mayor Reed Gusciora will sign an executive order about the buses
🔴 The order is similar to the one signed by NYC Mayor Eric Adams
🔴 An immigration rights group favors their arrival
Another Democratic mayor in New Jersey is putting his foot down as buses of migrants arrive in the state, exposing growing dissatisfaction with the Biden administration's handling of the border.
Buses arrived in Edison, Fanwood, Trenton and Secaucus this weekend with nearly 400 immigrants on board, Jersey City officials said, although no migrant buses arrived there.
Trenton Mayor Reed Gusciora told New Jersey 101.5 that the city was caught by surprise at the arrival of 160 migrants who arrived on several buses at the Trenton Transportation Center in the pre-dawn hours of Saturday. Twenty stayed behind claiming they had relatives in Trenton.
"It's one thing if they have family members but the city itself does not have the capacity or the resources to absorb undocumented immigrants that are looking for shelter or other provisions. We just don't have that capacity or the resources," Gusciora said, adding that it could create a "humanitarian crisis" if they stay in the city.
The Democratic mayor said he will issue an executive order similar to the one issued by New York City Mayor Eric Adams requiring 32 hours notice for the arrival of a bus in Trenton. The buses will be limited to discharges between 8:30 a.m. and 12 noon.
Gusciora's comments came after the Democratic mayor of Edison said his township cannot welcome busloads of migrants.
"I want to be very clear: if any bus, train or plane of illegal migrants come to Edison, I have instructed our law enforcement and emergency management departments to charter a bus to transport the illegal migrants right back to the Southern Texas/Mexican border," Mayor Sam Joshi said this weekend on social media.
Edison Police Chief Thomas Bryan said 20 migrants got off a bus that arrived from Texas on Saturday night.
New York mayor says he's trying to talk to Murphy
Adams on Tuesday said he hopes to speak with Murphy about the buses.
Murphy's office would not say if the two have spoken and continued to say that his administration is "closely coordinating with our federal and local partners on this matter, including our colleagues across the Hudson.”
Not all opposed to migrants in NJ
State Sen. Mike Testa, R-Cumberland, criticized Murphy for what he called "sanctuary state policies" that are harmful to the state.
“The insanity of far-left open border policies are draining our already strained resources and infrastructure. As elected officials, our highest responsibility is to ensure the safety of our schools, hospitals, and local communities. We must start putting New Jersey first and put an end to this insanity.”
The immigrant rights group Make the Road New Jersey told Politico that the buses present an opportunity for New Jersey to continue its "rich history" of welcoming migrants.
"We are a state of immigrants and we must continue to be a beacon for those fleeing violence in search of a better life," state director Sara Cullinane told Politico.
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