New York City Mayor Eric Adams has announced a lawsuit against 17 bus and transportation companies helping to send asylum-seekers to the city as it deals with major budget issues surrounding the crisis.
The city is seeking $708 million in the lawsuit to cover costs for caring for migrants.
“New York City has and will always do our part to manage this humanitarian crisis, but we cannot bear the costs of reckless political ploys from the state of Texas alone,” Adams said in a statement. "Today, we are taking legal action against 17 companies that have taken part in Texas Governor [Greg] Abbott’s scheme to transport tens of thousands of migrants to New York City in an attempt to overwhelm our social services system.
He continued, “These companies have violated state law by not paying the cost of caring for these migrants, and that’s why we are suing to recoup approximately $700 million already spent to care for migrants sent here in the last two years by Texas.”
Short answer is that it is always much easier to (successfully) sue a private party than a government entity. Also probably to deter the private companies from participating in human trafficking.
The latter is the big one.
Defending this lawsuit will cost them more money than they made bussing migrants, even if they win.
Which will make all of them think twice about doing it - or at the very least charge Texas much, much more money.
Part of it may also be to send a message. Texas isn’t going to stop, but transportation companies might be deterred knowing NYC will drag them through court if they participate in these crimes. Even if they are sure they will win in the end, getting involved in years long litigation over a controversial issue is not good for business.