A second bus carrying approximately 46 asylum seekers arrived in Philadelphia on Monday morning, becoming the second chartered vehicle to reach the city from Texas in less than a week, officials said.
Like the first bus that arrived last Wednesday morning, the second bus made an early stop at 30th Street Station to drop off the latest group of immigrants sent by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, whose state has sent more than 300 buses to sanctuary cities in the U.S. since April.
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The migrants who arrived Monday morning have been offered temporary housing at the city's welcome center in North Philadelphia, where many are expected to depart for other destinations in the region.
Abbott and the governors of other southern states, including Arizona and Florida, have spent millions of dollars transporting asylum seekers to cities such as New York, Chicago, Washington and Philadelphia after they crossed the nation's southern border. More than 13,000 people have been sent from these states as part of a Republican pressure campaign to increase border security and drive immigration reform.
Abbott's office said last week that the busing program is part of the state's wider Operation Lonestar mission that aims to deter the smuggling of drugs, weapons and people into "overwhelmed border communities." Abbott was re-elected to a third term as Texas governor earlier this month.
The bus that arrived Monday is believed to have come from Del Rio, Texas, the border town outside San Antonio where the first bus is thought to have begun its journey. Texas officials did not confirm travel details with city officials in Philadelphia for either of the buses sent to the city.
Children were among those who arrived in Philadelphia on Monday morning. The asylum seekers received winter coats, food and other resources upon their arrival, FOX29's Steve Keeley reported from the scene.
The group that arrived last week included 28 people, including five children, who came to the U.S. from countries such as Colombia, Cuba, Nicaragua, Panama, Ecuador and the Dominican Republic. All but two of those who arrived last week planned to depart Philadelphia for other destinations in the U.S.
All of the migrants who have arrived in sanctuary cities have been approved for entry into the U.S. to pursue their claims for asylum.
Since August, Philadelphia's Office of Immigrant Affairs and Office of Emergency Management have coordinated with 15 community organizations to provide shelter, emergency health screenings, food and water to those who arrive. The migrants are also being offered legal services, including education on their rights and the asylum process.
The sanctuary-city description refers to local government policies that discourage law enforcement from reporting undocumented migrants to federal ICE agents without an order from a judge.
Among the group that came to Philadelphia last week was a child who was hospitalized at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia with severe dehydration and a high fever. The practice of busing migrants on long, multi-day journeys has faced sharp criticism as a political stunt that puts the health of asylum seekers at an unnecessary risk.
City officials in Philadelphia did not immediately share more information about the group of asylum seekers who arrived on Monday morning.
Mayor Jim Kenney said last week that the city is prepared to welcome additional migrants if Texas continues to send them to Philadelphia.