New York City Mayor Eric Adams has implemented new restrictions on charter buses transporting migrants to the city in an effort to manage the influx of asylum seekers. Adams issued an executive order on Wednesday, requiring charter bus companies to notify the city's Emergency Management Office 32 hours in advance of their arrival. The order also limits drop-off hours to between 8:30 a.m. and 12 p.m. daily and designates a single location for drop-offs on West 41st Street in Manhattan. Failure to comply with the new rules could result in criminal charges, fines, lawsuits, and even the impounding of buses.

Adams's decision comes in response to the record number of buses filled with asylum seekers arriving in New York City from Texas. Last week, the city saw 14 buses arrive in a single day, and on Tuesday night, five buses arrived from Philadelphia after a flight from El Paso. The charges for violating the executive order would be a class B misdemeanor, punishable by up to three months imprisonment and fines of up to $500 for individuals and up to $2,000 for corporations.

Adams, along with Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson and Denver Mayor Mike Johnston, held a virtual press conference to discuss the issue. They called on the federal government to take action and criticized Texas Governor Greg Abbott for sending migrants to Democratic-led cities. Adams stated that the new restrictions were not meant to stop people from coming but to ensure their safety and a coordinated arrival.

New York City has received over 161,000 asylum seekers since the start of the crisis in spring 2022, with more than 68,000 still in city care. The city has been overwhelmed by the influx of migrants and is running out of resources to provide assistance. Abbott's office has sent around 27,000 migrants to New York City since last year, as part of an effort to relieve pressure on border communities. However, Adams accused Abbott of "cruel and inhumane politics" and targeted his buses with the new restrictions.

Abbott's office responded, accusing Adams of hypocrisy and pledging to continue transporting migrants to sanctuary cities. They argued that Texas has only sent a fraction of the migrants that President Biden has flown around the country. The border itself continues to see record numbers, with over 35,000 migrant encounters during the four-day Christmas weekend and over 250,000 encounters since December 1.

The mayors of Chicago, New York City, and Denver have all called for more federal help and coordination with Texas to address the growing number of asylum seekers arriving in their cities. Abbott's busing operation has transported more than 80,000 migrants to Democratic-led cities since last year, and his administration recently started using chartered planes. The mayors criticized Abbott's lack of care and the chaos caused by buses arriving at all hours and outside designated drop-off zones. They have implemented fines, lawsuits, and tickets to crack down on “rogue” buses. The mayors met with President Biden last month and have requested more federal funds, expanded work authorization, and a schedule for bus arrivals. The cities have already spent hundreds of millions of dollars on housing, transportation, and medical care for migrants.