The battle over migrant transportation from Texas to New York has taken a dramatic legal turn, as Roadrunner Charters Inc. fires back at New York City’s $708 million lawsuit, calling it an unconstitutional political stunt.
In a complaint filed Wednesday in the Southern District of New York, Roadrunner accused the city of attempting to deflect blame from federal immigration failures by targeting private bus companies. The company argues that NYC’s legal attack is “unprecedented and frivolous”, violating its constitutional and federal motor carrier rights.
NYC’s Allegations and Roadrunner’s Defense
New York City’s Department of Social Services (DSS) initially filed its complaint in January 2024, seeking damages from Roadrunner and 16 other charter bus companies. The agency alleges that these firms violated New York social services law by transporting migrants at the behest of Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, who in April 2022 ordered migrant relocations to so-called sanctuary cities.
The DSS contends that under state law, anyone knowingly bringing a “needy person” into New York for public assistance must either remove them or cover their costs. Since over 33,600 migrants were dropped off in New York City, the 17 defendant bus companies should reimburse the city’s $708 million in emergency services, the lawsuit claims.
Roadrunner, however, insists that it was merely fulfilling a transportation contract with Texas authorities and had no role in immigration policy decisions. The company argues that NYC’s legal threats forced it to halt its services, resulting in lost revenue and damages.
