With our free press under threat and federal funding for public media gone, your support matters more than ever. Help keep the LAist newsroom strong, become a monthly member or increase your support today during our fall member drive.
Second Migrant Bus Arrives In Los Angeles From Texas
Another bus carrying 41 migrants arrived this afternoon in Los Angeles from the Texas-Mexico border.
The bus pulled into Union Station at 12:40 p.m. In a statement, Mayor Karen Bass says her office started to formulate a response after learning about the arrival.
“The Mayor’s Office became aware of the bus yesterday and mobilized -- working with City Departments, the County, and a coalition of nonprofit organizations, in addition to our faith partners, to execute a plan set in place earlier this year."
The L.A. Welcome Collective, a coalition that includes the Archdiocese of Los Angeles and several immigrant and human rights groups, was at Union Station to meet the migrants and help connect them with services and family members.
“We got a tip the night before. We activated our rapid response folks,” Jorge-Mario Cabrera of The Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights, a member of the humanitarian collective, told LAist.com.
“They have been meeting since October of last year on this eventuality. Today, paramedics were available as soon as they arrived," he said.
Cabrera said those migrants who have family members and loved ones residing in the city will stay in L.A. as they apply for asylum. The 41 migrants are from Colombia, El Salvador, Guatemala, Mexico, Cuba, Venezuela, Belize and Nicaragua. Cabrera said 11 of them are children.
It’s the second migrant bus sent to Los Angeles in a little over two weeks by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott. He and his fellow Republican, Florida Gov. Ron De Santis, have bused or flown migrants from the border to Democratic-led states and cities. These have included migrants being sent to Martha’s Vineyard in Massachusetts, and being left in front of Vice President Kamala Harris’s home in freezing weather on Christmas Eve.
At LAist, we believe in journalism without censorship and the right of a free press to speak truth to those in power. Our hard-hitting watchdog reporting on local government, climate, and the ongoing housing and homelessness crisis is trustworthy, independent and freely accessible to everyone thanks to the support of readers like you.
But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.
Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.
-
The study found recipients spent nearly all the money on basic needs like food and transportation, not drugs or alcohol.
-
Kevin Lee's Tokyo Noir has become one of the top spots for craft-inspired cocktails.
-
A tort claim obtained by LAist via a public records request alleges the Anaheim procurement department lacks basic contracting procedures and oversight.
-
Flauta, taquito, tacos dorados? Whatever they’re called, they’re golden, crispy and delicious.
-
If California redistricts, the conservative beach town that banned LGBTQ Pride flags on city property would get a gay, progressive Democrat in Congress.
-
Most survivors of January's fires face a massive gap in the money they need to rebuild, and funding to help is moving too slowly or nonexistent.