U.S. Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Chris Magnus said Republican governors sending migrants to northern cities could encourage more migration to the United States.
Magnus told the Los Angeles Times in an interview that the politicians who are complaining about the causes of migration are also the ones who are causing it to occur.
“It’s safe to say what’s going on is a pull factor, which is somewhat ironic given the criticism from some of these same governors involved in this about various pull factors that they claim already exist,” he said.
Magnus’s remarks come after GOP Govs. Ron DeSantis of Florida, Greg Abbott of Texas and Doug Ducey of Arizona made headlines in recent months for busing thousands of migrants to Democratic-run cities in the north with more lax immigration policies.
Migrants have been bused to Chicago, New York City and Washington, D.C.
DeSantis chartered two flights to take migrants from Texas to Martha’s Vineyard, Mass., last month. Abbott also received attention after busing migrants to Vice President Harris’s residence in D.C. soon afterward.
Many migrants aboard the flights to Martha’s Vineyard, a popular place for the wealthy, said they were told they were going to Boston. Others said they were told in Texas they’d receive assistance to find jobs and housing.
Democratic state and local leaders claimed they were not notified in advance of the flights or buses transporting the migrants.
Magnus also noted the impact social media has on the situation and said promises of work can be “enticing” for other potential migrants. He said human smugglers can also use this information to manipulate and mislead migrants.