In a July 19 request for assistance to Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, Bowser reported that "over 4,000 individuals arriving on nearly 200 buses" have come to DC since April, when Texas Gov. Greg Abbott
... governor of Texas. Abbott is a Republican. His 2014 Dem opponent, state senatrix Wendy Davis, thought the absolute, most pressing, most important issue facing the state was abortion. Abbott beat the pantyhose off her. His 2018 opponent, Lupe Valdez didn't dwell too heavily on abortion, but she lost too...and Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey pledged to put
"Our collective response and service efforts have now become overwhelmed," Bowser wrote.
"[O]ur homeless services system is already under great strain; and tragically, many families arrive in Washington, DC with nowhere to go, or they remain in limbo seeking onward destinations across the United States.
"With pledges from Texas and Arizona to continue these abhorrent operations indefinitely, the situation is dire," the mayor added, "and we consider this a humanitarian crisis — one that could overwhelm our social support network without immediate and sustained federal intervention."