Waivers prove migrants are consenting to bus trips to New York and Washington D.C.
Sign your name, write your birthday, and circle where you want to go.
We're getting a new look at the process thousands of migrants go through before they're bussed from the Texas border all the way to New York or Washington, D.C. We've obtained copies of the waiver Gov. Abbott's office says migrants sign before loading busses.
The waivers are a page long. The Texas Department of Emergency Management says they offer English, Spanish, French, and Portuguese.
Migrants who have already been processed and released by the federal government must provide their name, birth date, and locations of departure and arrival.
A blurb near the top of the form says, "I agree to hold the State of Texas or its designated agency officials harmless of all liability arising out of or in any way relating to any injuries and damages that may occur during the agreed transport to locations outside of Texas."
After the signature portion, it says, "the State of Texas and its designated agency officials represent that they are not providing transportation made in furtherance of any unlawful entry into the United States."
Then, you can choose one of two locations.
Washington, D.C., described as the nation's capital and "where members of Congress and the President of the United States are more immediately able to help address the needs of migrants who have entered the country."
Or New York City, described as "designated as a sanctuary city by its City Council, and is providing shelter and food to migrants who have entered the country."
Edna Yang is the co-executive director of American Gateways, an immigrant rights group in Texas.
"Saying to individuals, 'sign these documents, and we'll take you to another place' doesn't really solve the problem, and it doesn't really help any of our communities," Yang said.
Yang says it's inhumane and irresponsible.
The first busses full of migrants arrived in Washington, D.C. in mid-April.
Just last week, the first bus arrived in New York City, sparking a social media firestorm.
"In addition to Washington, D.C., New York City is the ideal destination for these migrants, who can receive the abundance of city services and housing that Mayor Eric Adams has boasted about within the sanctuary city,” said Governor Abbott in an August 5 statement. “I hope he follows through on his promise of welcoming all migrants with open arms so that our overrun and overwhelmed border towns can find relief."
New York City Mayor Eric Adams tweeted that Gov. Abbott "used innocent people as political pawns to manufacture a crisis. New Yorkers are stepping up to fix it."
He also claimed some of the migrants were forced onto the busses, and some told they would be taken to their desired destination, but then taken to New York.
"There are children amongst them. There are families," said Manuel Castro, the NYC Mayor's Office of Immigrant Affairs Commissioner. "They need to be treated humanely. That's all we're asking for. Don't treat them like political pawns."
Abbott fired back, tweeting that the busloads won't end anytime soon, and that this is only a fraction of what Texas is going through.
Border Patrol officials are reporting thousands of crossings every day.
But what happens after the buses are loaded?
"The governor's office has said that people are given food, they're given medical care. But those aren't the reports that we're seeing at the arrival sites," Yang said. "We're seeing people who have been bussed incredibly long distances, after real treacherous trips to make it to the United States in the first place, where they haven't received medical care. They haven't been given any food, they haven't been given the opportunity to bathe or use the facilities when they need to... all of those things, and I think it's really inhumane."
Volunteers are now working to find food and shelter for the migrants, but leaders in New York and Washington, D.C. say resources are already stretched thin
"We need comprehensive immigration reform that really addresses the realities of migration and immigration today," Yang said. "We haven't had those changes in decades. And this is the result."
Gov. Abbott's office did not answer when we asked how many of these forms have been collected so far.
The governor has told news outlets in the past that about 6,500 migrants have been bused to Washington, D.C. "to provide much-needed relief to our overwhelmed border communities."
New York officials report about 170 migrants transported there so far.
