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The city’s public school system has enrolled 1,400 migrant children to start the school year — many of whom were bused into the Big Apple from Texas — by both the Biden administration and Lone Star State Gov. Greg Abbott — after crossing the southern border into the U.S.

“We want every child to have a chance to be able to thrive and grow and prosper, no matter their ZIP code, no matter their ethnicity, no matter how they got here,” said Adams during a press conference at PS 161 in The Bronx celebrating the first day of the school year.

“Doesn’t matter that they arrived here through the nefarious actions of a despicable governor that treated them in a brutal way — those 1,400 students will be treated with the same love and nurturing of those students who grew up in this educational system,” he added.

An estimated 8,000 migrants have been bused into the city since the spring. 

Department of Education Chancellor David Banks said he’s recruiting bilingual teachers from the Dominican Republic — about 25 so far and counting.


  Mayor Eric Adams speaks at a press conference on the first day of school. Seth Gottfried Mayor Eric Adams speaks at a press conference on the first day of school. Seth Gottfried

He also said more asylum seekers will mean more money in school budgets.

“We have more resources that will continue to go to the schools even throughout the year,” Banks said during an interview on PIX11 Tuesday morning.

“We’re dealing with the asylum seekers who will come into our schools. We’re placing them in many of our schools — as the schools get more students, they will get more budget. And so, you’ve not seen the end of the resources that are coming to our schools,” he said.


  School staff welcome students on the first day of school at the Anderson School. Robert Miller School staff welcome students on the first day of school at the Anderson School. Robert Miller

Abbott argues that the buses are his way of responding to the Biden administration’s inability to stem the surge of illegal immigration and asylum seekers at the southern border, which has hit historic numbers the past year.

Gotham’s “right to shelter” policy, fueled by its status as an immigration “sanctuary city,” bars Adams from denying individuals beds in homeless shelters, meaning the arrival of the thousands of migrants has contributed to an already overburdened shelter system.

Migrants are dropped off at the Port Authority and from there are directed to housing within the city’s network of shelters and emergency hotels.


  Migrants step off a bus after traveling from the southern border to NYC. Robert Miller Migrants step off a bus after traveling from the southern border to NYC. Robert Miller

The city also quietly opened a $6 million welcome center at the end of last month that will provide individuals with resources such as legal assistance and help with job placement.

The Adams administration has also requested additional funding from the federal government, but has yet to receive a dollar commitment.

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