Migrant aboard fourth bus to DC says poverty in Venezuela drove him to cross southern border

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Fourth bus from Texas drops of migrants in DC

Migrants arrive on a bus to DC following Texas Gov. Greg Abbott's announcement this week.

A fourth bus carrying migrants from Texas arrived in Washington, D.C., Saturday carrying fewer than 10 migrants fleeing Venezuela’s capital city, Caracas.

In an interview with Fox News Digital, a 23-year-old asylum seeker who asked to remain anonymous said he was fleeing poverty in an attempt to provide more for his family back home. 

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott vowed to bus migrants crossing the border into his state to D.C. in retaliation for President Biden’s plans to end Title 42 expulsions by the end of next month.

A fourth migrant bus from Texas arrived in Washington, D.C., near the U.S. Capitol, Saturday, April 16, 2022. (Caitlin McFall/Fox News Digital)

FOURTH TEXAS MIGRANT BUS ARRIVES IN DC NEAR US CAPITOL

With help of a representative from the Central American Resource Center (CARECEN), the asylum seeker described his journey from Caracas and said he volunteered to be bussed to D.C.

"There's not just one simple reason for somebody to leave their country and come here," the migrant told Fox News Digital through a translator. "Because of the corruption and because of the really high food prices in Venezuela right now," he was motivated to make the journey north to the U.S. to find work.

"You can work for an entire month and only make enough money to feed your family, really, for one day," he added. 

The translator told Fox News that the 23-year-old Venezuelan has a four-year-old son who remained home with his mother out of concern that the journey would be too dangerous.

"It's taking away my ability to dream for my son," he said, as he became emotional describing how many in Venezuela are forced to cross the border into Colombia just to buy food.

"He would love to reunite with his family. It's basically his dream," the translator said as the asylum seeker continued with his story.   

A fourth migrant bus from Texas arrived in Washington, D.C., near the U.S. Capitol, Saturday, April 16, 2022. (Caitlin McFall/Fox News Digital)

THIRD TEXAS MIGRANT BUS ARRIVES NEAR US CAPITOL

After arriving by bus and then by foot to cross the Mexico border into Texas earlier this week, he was asked by a man he referred to as "a boss" whether he wanted to continue his journey to D.C.

The 23-year-old and his friend agreed to continue the journey together in an attempt to make it to their final destination in Miami, where he has friends and family already.

The asylum seeker was just one of nine people, who all happened to be from Caracas, to make the more than 1,500-mile trek from Texas to D.C.

But according to the CARECEN representative, who also wished to remain unnamed, the meager busload was not particularly unusual. 

A fourth migrant bus from Texas arrived in Washington, D.C., near the U.S. Capitol, Saturday, April 16, 2022. (Caitlin McFall/Fox News Digital)

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The official said she has seen three busloads of people arrive in D.C. this week, all of which were largely under capacity with one bus carrying roughly 15 people and another carrying about 20. 

Fox News reported this week that Friday’s load carried approximately 30 migrants, with 14 others arriving Thursday and 24 on Wednesday.