Hundreds of underage migrants are being secretly flown from Texas to New York for resettlement by the Biden administration, an investigation has learned.
The programme is an effort by the White House to resettle migrants across the state, according to the New York Post, and comes amid the on-going border crisis that has overwhelmed immigration officials this summer.
According to data from the US Customs and Border Protection, 37,805 unaccompanied minors were caught entering the US from Mexico between July and August, some of whom were left abandoned by smugglers known as 'cyotes'.
The newspaper reported witnessing two planes land at New York's Westchester County Airport last week, one arriving at 10:49 p.m. on Wednesday and another at 9:52 p.m. on Friday.
Most of the passengers who disembarked appeared to be small children and teens, with a 'small portion' appearing to be men in their 20s, the Post said, reporting that local cops were seen standing by as the passengers piled into buses.
Hundreds of underage migrants are being secretly flown from Texas to New York for resettlement by the Biden administration, an investigation has learned. Pictured: A baby is handed over the border fence between the U.S. and Mexico (file photo, 2018)
Some of the passengers were later seen by the newspaper meeting with relatives or sponsors in New Jersey, or being dropped off at a facility in Long Island.
Analysis of online tracking data done by the Post suggests that 21 flights have brought around 2,000 migrants caught after crossing the border from Mexico to the Westchester airport - found outside White Planes - since August 8.
Some of the planes have landed between midnight and 6.30 a.m. - during a voluntary curfew that is currently in place - with two arriving from Houston at 2:13 a.m. and 4:29 a.m. on August 20.
The timing of the arrivals suggests a level of secrecy, and raises questions about how the Biden administration is dealing with the surge of border crossings by unaccompanied minors.
A source told the Post that underage migrants arriving at the airport are typically seen carrying backpacks, and are then taken to locations including The Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens, upstate Newburgh and Bridgeport and Danbury in Connecticut.
On Friday, the newspaper reported that a bus left Westchester airport and quickly went down the Hutchinson River Parkway, which is currently off-limits to commercial vehicles - and crossed the Throgs Neck Bridge.
Two planes are reported to have landed at New York's Westchester County Airport last week, one arriving at 10:49 p.m. on Wednesday and another at 9:52 p.m. on Friday
According to data from the US Customs and Border Protection, 37,805 unaccompanied minors were caught entering the US from Mexico between July and August, some of whom were left abandoned by smugglers known as 'cyotes'
