Austin Starts Program to Help Fly Asylum Seekers Out of Texas

Austin is joining forces with the city of San Antonio to help asylum seekers travel to their final destinations in the US, with the Texas cities agreeing to coordinate efforts to arrange flights outside the state.

Officials expect to serve as many as 120 people daily and will seek full reimbursement from the federal government for the cost of the program, which begins Friday, Austin authorities said in a statement. The flights from Austin’s airport will be offered to people who have gone through initial processing for their asylum claims, sought service through San Antonio’s migrant resource center and are seeking to travel elsewhere in the US.