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U.S. NEWS Saturday 16 March 2019
APNewsBreak: Greyhound won't let U.S. drop migrants in depots

By ASTRID GALVAN that travelers need tickets five children waited in a
Associated Press to get in. She said the pol- shaded area near a park-
PHOENIX (AP) — Grey- icy applies to anyone who ing lot Thursday. Some said
hound Lines Inc. is no lon- lacks a ticket. they had been there for
ger allowing U.S. authorities "Our priority is to safely and about seven hours.
to drop off immigrant fami- efficiently get customers to The federal agency relies
lies inside bus stations, forc- their destinations," Booker on volunteer organizations,
ing those who have been said in a statement. many of them faith-based
released from custody to Immigrants who are re- groups, to help families with
wait outside until they have leased by ICE don't usually travel and meals.
a ticket. have prior notice and can't Connie Phillips, president In this May 28, 2014 file photo, migrants are released from ICE
U.S. Immigration and Cus- make travel arrangements and CEO of Lutheran Social custody at a Greyhound Bus station in Phoenix.
toms Enforcement con- until they arrive at the sta- Services of the Southwest, Associated Press
firmed to The Associated tion. Most of them don't said she doesn't blame
Press on Friday that it had have money and have to Greyhound for its policy but Immigration authorities say network to respond to the
been asked to drop off mi- wait on a relative or ad- rather immigration officials they release families at bus station in Phoenix when
grants outside facilities in- vocacy group to buy their for not having a long-term, bus stations only when vol- immigrants are dropped
stead of busing them in. ticket. sustainable way to deal unteer groups run out of off. They bring food and
ICE for years has dropped A huge number of Central with releasing migrants. space. water, allow migrants to
off migrants at Greyhound American families have "Just dropping people off in "ICE wants to mitigate use volunteers' cellphones
stations, largely in Phoenix, traveled to U.S. in the past a place that's not meant to strains placed on resources and help coordinate travel.
after releasing them pend- few months, many who say be able to welcome and in the local community as Phillips said the groups that
ing court hearings to de- they are fleeing violence assist them is not a solution, we continue to see high help out are able to tem-
cide whether they can stay and plan to seek asylum. and we have to work to- volumes of families crossing porarily house about 700
in the country. From the Others say they are escap- gether to create a viable the border," spokeswoman people in churches and
stations, they travel to their ing extreme poverty. response to this increased Yasmeen Pitts O'Keefe said. congregants' homes in
intended destination in the In Arizona alone between need and stop this chaos," Phillips said dozens of vol- the Phoenix area, but that
United States. Dec. 21, 2018, and March Phillips said. unteers have created a doesn't suffice.q
Greyhound spokeswom- 5, ICE said it had processed
an Crystal Booker said the for release about 14,500
company is experienc- people who came as fami-
ing an "unprecedented lies.
increase of individuals" at Outside the station in Phoe-
certain bus terminals and nix, about 15 adults and

New York rail tunnel

project again gets

low grade from feds

By DAVID PORTER New Jersey and Amtrak.
Associated Press New Jersey Democratic
NEWARK, N.J. (AP) — A Sen. Bob Menendez called
$13 billion project to build Friday's rating "ludicrous"
a new rail tunnel between and said the rating "is as
New York and New Jersey tied to reality as President
received another blow Trump is tied to the truth."
from federal authorities Fri- The Democratic congres-
day in the form of a rating sional delegations from
that continues to make it both states have accused
ineligible for critical grant the Trump administration
funding. of holding up funding for
The Federal Transit Admin- the tunnel for political pay-
istration released its ratings back.
for infrastructure projects The federal Department of
around the country and Transportation, meanwhile,
rated the Hudson River tun- has said the project needs
nel project medium-low, more financial commit-
the same rating it gave sev- ment from the states.
eral months ago. Under FTA New Jersey and New York
guidelines, projects with plan to use long-term fed-
that rating are ineligible for eral loans to pay for 50
Capital Investment Grants. percent of the project,
Those grants are being between $6 billion and
sought by the tunnel proj- $7 billion, with the federal
ect partners, which include government paying for the
New Jersey Transit, the Port other half with grants.q
Authority of New York and