PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Philadelphia officials say that all but one of the 28 immigrants sent here by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott this week have moved on to their final destination, but the city is ready if more buses arrive.
Philadelphia’s welcoming stance may impact Abbott’s message and political goals for 2024.
The Texas governor said his campaign is designed to get better border security.
Houston Chronicle reporter Chris Tomlinson said Texas facilities are genuinely stretched thin by people coming across its border, but the motive for the bus dispatches is Abbott’s aspiration.
“Abbott is interested in gaining national attention for a potential run for the presidency in 2024,” said Tomlinson.
“This is an opportunity for him to call attention to an important issue for the Republican voter, and to ‘own the libs’ while doing it."
But what if the libs refuse to be owned? Mayor Jim Kenney was more than happy to welcome the transplants.
“I was extremely proud,” said Kenney.
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It was actually kind of a dream come true for him. Twenty years ago as a councilmember, Kenney introduced a bill seeking to attract immigrants to Philadelphia.
“He has not wavered in that,” said Tom Ginsberg, a reporter at the time for the Philadelphia Inquirer. “He has advocated and pushed for policies and structures to support the integration of immigrants.”
Kenney’s bill failed back then. But if he had known that 21 years later he’d be welcoming a bus of displaced people as mayor?
“I would be looking forward to it. I would be very proud of being that mayor,” said Kenney.
He hopes that if Texas sends another busload, more of the immigrants will stay.
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“These folks have the potential to be terrific citizens and big contributors to our economics,” Kenney said.
Kenney thinks Abbott helped the immigrants too.
“He’s accelerated their assimilation into the country as opposed to sitting in a border town in Texas,” said the mayor.
So, if Abbott is helping immigrants and not hurting the destination cities, will he keep it up? Tomlinson thinks so.
“He’s doing it for the attention,” he said.
That makes the bus trips a win-win-win.