DC attorney general opens investigation into migrant buses that arrived in capital

Washington, D.C., Attorney General Karl Racine (D) has opened an investigation into whether migrants sent north by southern governors were misled when they boarded transportation taking them hundreds of miles away. 

The Texas Tribune and ProPublica co-published an article on Friday that Racine’s office is looking to determine if trip organizers deceived the migrants into getting on buses that took them to D.C. in recent months. 

Racine told the outlets that migrants have “talked persuasively” about being misled with promises of “services” to be provided in interviews with investigators. He did not provide them with more specifics about the probe, including whether it is a criminal or civil matter. 

The Hill has reached out to Racine’s office for comment and additional details. 

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) sent the first bus of migrants to D.C. in April, saying that they would be voluntarily sent to allow President Biden to “immediately address the needs of the people that they are allowing to come across our border.” 

He sent two buses of migrants to Vice President Harris’s residence at the Naval Observatory last month to protest the Biden administration’s immigration policies. Abbott has sent more than 8,000 migrants to D.C. on more than 190 buses in recent months. 

Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey (R) followed Abbott’s lead, sending a bus of migrants to D.C. in May. He has sent more than 1,800 migrants on 50 buses since the spring. 

D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser (D) declared a public emergency in September in light of the almost 10,000 total migrants that have been sent to the city. She also asked the D.C. National Guard to step in to help manage the influx, but the Defense Department has denied the request. 

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) stirred outrage after he chartered two airplanes to take migrants from Texas to Martha’s Vineyard, Mass., a common vacation spot for the wealthy.

A Texas sheriff opened a criminal investigation last month into whether Florida officials “lured” the migrants to the plane under “false pretenses.” 

Racine said that the governors are using “people as props.”

Democratic lawmakers have also panned efforts by the governors as political stunts.  

Renae Eze, Abbott’s press secretary, told The Hill that the migrants signed a voluntary consent form that was available in multiple languages upon boarding. She said the federal government “dumped” them in small Texas towns near the border after processing them.

“These Democrat elites in our nation’s capital know nothing about Texas’ busing operations,” Eze said.

A spokesperson for Ducey told the outlets that Arizona is working with a regional health center to ensure the migrants are treated well and get to their destinations. 

A spokesperson for DeSantis did not respond to the outlets’ request for comment.

The Hill has reached out to Ducey for comment.

–Updated on Oct. 17 at 1:28 p.m.