DeSantis sends two planes with migrants to Martha’s Vineyard

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) sent two planeloads of migrants to Martha’s Vinyard on Wednesday.

Video showing the arrival of the planes was obtained by Fox News, which also reported a statement from the governor’s office. Roughly 50 migrants, including children, arrived at Martha’s Vineyard Airport in Massachusetts, according to the Martha’s Vineyard Times.

The effort appears to be part of Republican states’ efforts to bring increased attention to the migrant crisis, most notably seen by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R), who has bused migrants to the Democratic-run cities of New York, Washington, D.C., and Chicago. The Florida governor said back in April that the state budget had allocated $12 million to the Florida Department of Transportation, naming Delaware and Martha’s Vineyard specifically as possible migrant relocation destinations.

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“Yes, Florida can confirm the two planes with illegal immigrants that arrived in Martha’s Vineyard today were part of the state’s relocation program to transport illegal immigrants to sanctuary destinations,” DeSantis’s communications director, Taryn Fenske, told Fox News. “States like Massachusetts, New York, and California will better facilitate the care of these individuals who they have invited into our country by incentivizing illegal immigration through their designation as ‘sanctuary states’ and support for the Biden administration’s open border policies.”

“As you may know, in this past legislative session, the Florida legislature appropriated $12 million to implement a program to facilitate the transport of illegal immigrants from this state consistent with federal law,” she added.

Martha’s Vineyard, situated just south of Cape Cod, is a high-end neighborhood that many conservatives see as synonymous with liberal elites. Former President Barack Obama purchased a nearly $12 million mansion there, stirring controversy in 2021 when he held a 60th birthday bash at the property during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Reporter David Wade confirmed the arrival of 50 migrants to Martha’s Vineyard by plane, adding that they were being helped by a church. The migrants told translators that they were from Venezuela and were flown in from Texas. Most didn’t know where they were, the reporter added.

“The Baker-Polito Administration is in touch with local officials regarding the arrival of migrants in Martha’s Vineyard,” said a statement from a spokesman for Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker (R). “At this time, short-term shelter services are being provided by local officials, and the Administration will continue to support those efforts.”

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Fox News Digital obtained footage of the migrants arriving at an airport and then being loaded aboard vans.

The newest incident is the first time a red state governor has sent migrants to majority-liberal areas by plane rather than bus. DeSantis, who is often regarded as a top-tier presidential contender if he runs in 2024, is seeking reelection as governor this year.

A “company” organized the flights, the Martha’s Vineyard Times was told, and Geoff Freeman, the local airport director, said the name of the charter was Ultra Air Charters.

“It appears that one if not many Republican governors or operatives chartered flights from the south to come and drop undocumented or documented, I’m not sure, immigrants on Martha’s Vineayrd,” said state Rep. Dylan Fernandes (D), according to the report. “These governors or whoever it is, all they care about is scoring some political points on Tucker Carlson and Fox News and the fact that they are using human lives — women, children, men — as pawns in that and just really abusing these people dropping them off in a place where they don’t know where they are with no food and water just to be able to get in Tucker Carlson and Fox News’s good graces is disgusting. It’s inhumane. These people claim to be Christians? This is about as unChristian a thing as you could be doing. It’s evil.”