Texas has spent $12.7 million, or $1,400 per passenger, busing migrants to New York and D.C.

Texas migrant bus arrives in Washington, D.C.
(Image credit: Nathan Posner/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images)

Texas has spent nearly $13 million transporting migrants to New York City and Washington, D.C., according to the Texas Division of Emergency Management. As of Aug. 9, Texas paid charter company Wynne Transportation $12.7 million to bus thousands of migrants to the East Coast, CNN reported Wednesday, citing a spreadsheet obtained through an open records request. The Division of Emergency Management confirmed those numbers to several news organizations.

Gov. Greg Abbott's (R) office said more than 7,400 willing migrants have been bused to D.C. and more than 1,500 to New York since April, meaning his administration is spending about $1,400 per migrant to transport. "Comparatively, a one-way, same-day ticket on a Greyhound bus from El Paso costs $291 to New York City and $324 to Washington, D.C.," the El Paso Times reports. "Same-day flights to either destination are under $400." Abbott has requested private donations to offset the cost to taxpayers, but had received just $167,828 as of Aug. 17, CNN reports.

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Peter Weber, The Week US

Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.