U.S. city of Philadelphia receives bus of migrants

WASHINGTON, Nov. 16 (Xinhua) -- A bus of migrants transported from Texas arrived in the U.S. city of Philadelphia on Wednesday, adding fuel to the already intensified partisan debate over immigration in the country.

"Individuals seeking asylum" were sent by Texas Governor Greg Abbott, Philadelphia City Mayor Jim Kenney tweeted.

"All of the folks who arrived here today have been screened by U.S. Customs and Border Control," Kenney wrote, adding that "most will continue traveling to meet family elsewhere."

Kenney, mayor of Pennsylvania's largest city and a Democrat, accused Abbott, a Republican, of "using immigrant families as political pawns."

Abbott announced on Tuesday "the departure of the first group of migrants bused to Philadelphia," which he called a "sanctuary city."

Texas border communities have been "overwhelmed by the historic influx of migrants," said Abbott, criticizing the Biden administration's immigration policy.

In April, Abbott chartered buses to transport migrants from Texas to Washington, D.C. and added New York City and Chicago as additional drop-off locations this summer.

Thousands of migrants have been transported to these cities this year, fueling partisan debate over immigration.