Transcript: Mayor Eric Adams Appears on ABC's Nightline

August 18, 2022

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Byron Pitts: New York City Mayor Eric Adams says that Abbott is using migrants as “political pawns.”

Mayor Eric Adams: It’s the worst type of politics. It’s hateful politics to raise his national profile and, you know what, you should not be doing it by taking away the respect and dignity of people who are in need.

Mayor Adams: What the Texas governor is doing is just so anti-American.

Pitts: Have you spoken directly to the governor?

Mayor Adams: No I have not. Our team reached out to him when we first discovered what he was doing and we asked, “Let’s coordinate.” Because crisis calls for coordination.

Pitts: The Adams administration says that there has been no coordination about what day or time the buses will arrive.

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Pitts: Mayor Adams says nearly 6,000 asylum seekers have arrived in the city since May. Many of them due to Abbott’s busing policy. He says the city has opened 13 emergency shelters to meet the demand.

Pitts: How creative will you have to get, Mr. Mayor, to accommodate people because there is a limited amount of space?

Mayor Adams: Yes, well we’re going to look at our hotels, we’re going to look at those spaces that we have outside of the major business districts. We’re going to look at places where people are able to have the dignity and respect that they deserve.

Pitts: Migrants are also being bussed from Texas to Washington D.C. where the mayor has twice asked for help from the national guard.

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Pitts: Governor Abbott, who is running for reelection this November, has traded verbal jabs with Mayor Adams on cable TV.

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Pitts: Critics say if you were really looking for help, he would be reaching out to leaders from both parties.

Mayor Adams: Those buses are leaving Texas and passing through other states and other cities, how about speaking to those mayors across those cities and other governors and state, “How do we do this together?”

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Pitts: So what’s your message to the governor of Texas on Nightline? You want him to talk? You want him to pick the phone up?

Mayor Adams: Yeah, he should pick the phone up and we should communicate.

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