Dade County Sheriff answers questions about migrants on Fox News with Tucker Carlson
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. — UPDATE:
The Dade County Sheriff answered questions about the recent migrant buses passing through our area on Fox News with Tucker Carlson. WTVC's Jamya Reed was also featured in the segment.
Watch the full video:
Sheriff Ray Cross is accusing a busing company of taking advantage of the asylum seekers who were dropped off in Dade County last week.
"I think they were dropping off migrants along the way. Because I asked them what their destination was and they told me Washington DC," says Sheriff Cross. "Just my theory they are dropping them off along the way, they don't have to go all the way to DC and still get paid for the full trip."
Sheriff Cross says the migrants were trying to trade Mexican Pesos for U.S. dollars at local stores to try to get food and water. He was worried they would walk 30 miles to Chattanooga without services.
He names Coastal Crew Change out of Irving, Texas.
Sheriff Cross says when the migrants get off the bus, they cut their arm bands off voluntarily but that prevents them from re-entering the bus when it's time to leave.
"Talking through the translator to some of these migrants they stated they would love to get back on the bus because they didn't know where they were at," says Sheriff Cross. "So they were willingly wanting to get back on this bus, which is what they did."
The Sheriff says he spent most of the time coordinating resources from Georgia lawmakers and the Georgia Governor Kemp.
UPDATE:
Chattanooga Mayor Tim Kelly answered questions about the recent influx of migrants on buses in the city Tuesday.
He says the bus line has told the city that they will no longer be making stops in the area.
They told the city that Chattanooga was originally a stop for buses to switch drivers on their route to D.C.
Watch the press conference:
The Department of Homeland Security says the migrants are all legal asylum seekers.
Mayor Kelly says a lot of them have escaped from bad situations and that he hopes people will have compassion on them.
The mayor says only four of them have had family members here in Chattanooga, and the rest are attempting to connect with family members in other states.
The city says the community has been helpful in supplying the migrants with necessities and helping to meet their basic needs as they continue on their journey.
EARLIER:
As another bus full of migrants seeking asylum passed through Chattanooga Tuesday morning, Chattanooga Mayor Tim Kelly plans to answer questions about the situation.
We went to a gas station on East Brainerd Road after getting tips from viewers that another bus full of migrants was stopped there Tuesday morning:
We confirmed that the bus was passing through, but unlike other buses on different days, we learned this bus was heading south, not to Washington D.C. or New York City.
We also learned that migrants seeking asylum status on this particular bus were from several different countries from around the world.
The City of Chattanooga announced Tuesday that Mayor Tim Kelly will hold an "informational update" on the city's coordinated response to these buses. That will happen at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday at City Hall.
The city stresses in a release that all of these individuals are documented migrants who have been screened by the Department of Homeland Security, have authorization to travel, and are legally seeking asylum—which is a protected legal status.
Many of our viewers have wondered how they can help these migrants. Watch our story about that here.
This is a developing story and will be updated as we learn more.
EARLIER COVERAGE:
- Charter buses of migrants in Chattanooga legally seeking asylum, says city chief of staff
- 'Humans are still humans:' City confirms legal status of migrant buses in Chattanooga
- Migrants dropped off from buses in Lookout Valley as their destination
- As migrants pass through Chattanooga in buses, many asking how they can help
