Florida flies dozens of migrants to Martha's Vineyard

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: NPR

MARTHA'S VINEYARD, Mass. — About 50 migrants arrived by plane in Martha's Vineyard, Mass., Wednesday on a flight paid for by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and that originated in San Antonio, Texas.

The migrants touched down at about 3:15 p.m. local time. Later Wednesday, a spokesperson for DeSantis sent a statement to NPR and other news outlets confirming that the migrants were transported by Florida under a state program that was funded by the legislature earlier this year. The statement reads in part: "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."

The Florida statement refers to two planes, but local officials at Martha's Vineyard say there was only one. However, a number of migrants told NPR their flight originated in San Antonio, and that they were being transported to Boston. NPR confirmed that a plane originated in San Antonio, made a stop in Florida and then another stop in South Carolina before flying on to Martha's Vineyard. But apart from that layover, the migrants NPR interviewed had not spent time in Florida.

The unannounced flight drew anger from Massachusetts officials. "We have the governor of Florida ... hatching a secret plot to send immigrant families like cattle on an airplane," said state Sen. Dylan Fernandes, who represents Martha's Vineyard. "Ship them women and children to a place they weren't told where they were going and never alerted local officials and people on the ground here that they were coming. It is an incredibly inhumane and depraved thing to do."

Read more: https://www.npr.org/2022/09/15/1123109768/florida-flies-dozens-of-migrants-to-marthas-vineyard

---

[Scalded Nun]

1. How is this not human trafficking?

[867-5309.]

22. Not really

"the unlawful act of transporting or coercing people in order to benefit from their work or service, typically in the form of forced labor or sexual exploitation."

[Alexander Of Assyria]

38. Really? Typically means not exclusively...human trafficking comes to mind as excellent criminal charge

Public mischief perhaps? Misuse of state funds? Long list of potential crimes!

[OneCrazyDiamond]

52. The migrants are free to travel.

And we need workers. I dont know about Martha's Vinyard, but I hope they send them to California. Rightwingers are leaving this state and hard working migrants are a way better replacement.

[Alexander Of Assyria]

53. You also want the women and children for the harvesting or just fit men?

[OneCrazyDiamond]

63. You seem to think pretty low of the benefits migrants bring.

Perhaps you haven't got a lot of experience with them, but harvesting fields wasnt my first thought.

I personally know dozens of irregular migrants, none work in the fields. Their children attend school, and their parents work in every nook of our economy they can. When their children grow up, they work and attend college. They strive for the same things we do, and I welcome them to it.

[sanatanadharma]

2. The word is spreading; US governors will fly you to rich cities in the USA

Time for a new caravan of those more-southern Americans whom the GOP well serves, offering free transportation from the border to deep into the USA.

[Alexander Of Assyria]

39. The point is the craven evil, not that!

[not fooled]

3. Anyone who votes for deSatan

prefers stunts to good governance.

What a POS.

[paparush]

60. 100% agree. This isn't governing, it's theater. nt

[Snarkoleptic]

4. Is that all they have left, publicity stunts?

n/t

[underpants]

8. I saw this on Fox this morning and was sickened by it

The set up was ha ha ha isn’t DeSantis soooo owning the Libs. They had a crew there with a reporter who basically frightened a young lady getting off the bus. He could speak almost no Spanish. She was clearly surprised by him rushing up to her asking questions she clearly didn’t understand. She certainly was disoriented and unsure what was going on and suddenly there’s this guy asking rapid fire questions.

I flipped over to Fox as I do every once in a while but had to change the channel after that. The whole thing is based on meanness and this was a set up publicity stunt.

[PittBlue]

5. What a sick, disgusting piece of crap.

His family must be proud.

[otchmoson]

6. DeSantis--is he exhibiting Munchausen's disease?

If you look at DeSantis' behavior--from Covid response, anti-masking (freedom! don't you know), teacher pay, response to teacher and prison guard shortages--it seems that he BREAKS it, then takes steps to improve the worst of the worst. That way he can thump his chest and put out political ads telling voters how HE is fixing things (things that HE broke). Hubby suggested to me that this is the same behavior seen in Munchausen by proxy behavior. Sending immigrants to Massachusetts just seems to be his effort to one-up Abbott of Texas. His election enforcers find election fraudsters (former prisoners who thought their voting rights had been constitutionally restore) but not those from the Villages who voted twice. What a piece of work! I sit here in Florida, trying to be positive that "at least we're not Mississippi"--but we're pretty damn close!

[pazzyanne]

64. I heard a Massachusetts's official talking about their surprise guests this morning.

He was upset about no communication concerning the immigrants, sending them just before winter with minimal jobs available, and to a location that does not have low rent housing. There was a lot of praise for their community stepping up to help those getting off the plane. Northern hospitality vs southern hospitality?

[intheflow]

77. Yes, it would have been cheaper to send them to Boston,

Which would have services in place to assist the migrants. They went out of their way to send them to a small island, no matter how wealthy the island is. My guess is they chose Martha’s Vineyard because the Obamas just bought a vacation home there.

[pazzyanne]

83. My thoughts exactly. nt

[pwb]

7. We have plenty of work for them. Harvest time.

Thank you puke supporters. Canada wants as many as you can afford to fly up here too.

[Farmer-Rick]

17. Honestly, I think TN would take them

When Trump started his abuse of immigrant children, the Mexican community here in the east part of TN dwindled down to practically nothing.

Now the farmers, landscapers and construction companies are screaming about not having enough labor and having to pay their workers more.

Though If I were an immigrant, I would go to a country that didn't under pay my labor like they do here. It's not like the North pays immigrant labor any better than they do in Florida. Just wait until farmers, landscapers and construction companies start screaming about no cheap immigrant labor in Florida.

[Alexander Of Assyria]

30. That is rather callous, sir. Mexican humans are only good for harvesting time??!

The fascists would think so as dehumanizing a defined human class is what they do.

[pwb]

35. That is what you took from that ha?

Nobody else did. Think grapes? Vineyard?

[Alexander Of Assyria]

57. You want the women and children also?

[pwb]

62. Hell yes. We even adopt pets from the world.

Any living and breathing human is welcome. We are the colonies. The beginning and the example setters. Follow us. Look forward.

[GenThePerservering]

85. You keep saying this

as if women and children are useless. Sorry - we are not useless.

[Alexander Of Assyria]

87. You saying exact opposite of what I saying...read again! Thanks!

[whopis01]

92. They are from Venezuela, not Mexico. n/t

[OneCrazyDiamond]

55. +1

California too. I see it as a blessing for them not to be in a red state. Ironic the red states are financing their travel and too stupid to realise that.

[JohnSJ]

9. This is from the party that tries to wear the mantle of Christianity on their sleeve. I wonder

if any Christian leaders will condemn it, or will they just prove what a con the whole thing is?

[bucolic_frolic]

10. Kidnapping, unlawful detention?

involuntary servitude in the service of the sending states.

[patricia92243]

11. Color me stupid, but if I was an immigrant I would WANT to go to a sanctury

city where I would be welcome rather than stay in an area that didn't want me. The immigrants signed papers that stated they wanted to go.

Not telling the destination states that they were arriving is unacceptable.

[Alexander Of Assyria]

31. Sorry, being shipped off to who knows where with my children not my idea of a good time!

And being aware, eventually, part of a fascist publicity stunt would be mentally assaultive, no?

[intheflow]

12. Flown to Martha's Vineyard, where the Obamas just bought a vacation home.

The racist layers of Texas and Florida “leadership” know no bottom or shame.

[niyad]

25. Now I understand.

[mitch96]

13. For me the trick is how do you stop this without having the migrants as pawns?

The easy thing is to just send them back to Florida, but that won't do
What to do what to do.... Everything I think of is nasty to someone... what to do...
m

[Alexander Of Assyria]

32. Federal law, migrants processed in state of entry?

[Rebl2]

42. Is that a law

or are you saying it should be a law.

[Native]

40. They were coming from Texas, not Florida.

[mitch96]

45. That doesn't answer my question. What to do to stop this and not have the immigrants as pawns.

It does not matter where they immigrants come from or who pays for it IMHO.
This is just a stunt by repukes to "own the libs"...
m

[LaMouffette]

14. I say fast-track the migrants to American citizenship.

Create a special program led by Democratic leadership to help them in every way. And make sure they are all made aware that it is the DEMOCRATS welcoming them to America, not the Repubes, who see them as less than human.

Businesses and consumers should welcome an infusion of people to solve the worker shortage. Oh, wait, that's right, Republican talking point: "They're taking away our jobs (that no one already here wants to do)!"

[jmowreader]

68. You know how to pay for it too

Reduce the federal funding going to Texas and Florida by the amount needed to pay for the program.

[LaMouffette]

82. I like the way you think! Great idea.

[mcar]

15. DeathSentence is a troll

[orangecrush]

16. Can DeSantis be charged with something for this?

I sure hope so.

That is one sick puppy.

[Alexander Of Assyria]

33. If this is legal, as opposed to pure evil, it shouldn't be. Another loophole in democracy the

fascists ram their evil through!

[orangecrush]

89. I'm sure

He consulted the GOP lasers first.

[twodogsbarking]

18. To be fair there are a lot of undesirables sent to Florida from other states.

[niyad]

21. Explain, please. Who is "sending a lot of undesirables"?

[twodogsbarking]

23. Deplorables is a better term.

God is sending them.

[niyad]

26. Really? Meaning what, exactly?

[Alexander Of Assyria]

34. Think it's sarcasm, it's not bad sarcasm either, if it's misunderstood!

[twodogsbarking]

70. Thanks. People shouldn't be so serious, seriously.

[niyad]

71. My humour meter does not operate with disgusting political BS.

[twodogsbarking]

72. Well ok then, you win.

[LeftInTX]

86. Trump and his family all live in Florida now

[mainer]

19. Aren't the pilots liable for prosecution?

when truck drivers bring immigrants across the border, they're arrested. Maybe these pilots should also be in trouble. It would stop the flights.

[niyad]

20. deathsentence did NOT "pay" for this vicious stunt. The taxpayers are.

[SoCalDavidS]

27. Good

The majority of taxpayers in the Shithole state voted for him, so they obviously don’t mind.

[Native]

43. He only won by a bit over 30,000 votes. 49.6 to 49.2%

[SoCalDavidS]

51. Point Is, He Won

And after all that’s happened in last 2 1/2 years, he still has a 50% approval rating, and appears on track for an even bigger win in November.

They LOVE owning them some libs there in FL.

[Native]

59. My point was, not by much.

And as a native Floridian, I think our governor is deplorable, but I wouldn't consider Florida to be a shithole state. Not yet.

[867-5309.]

24. Welcome them with open arms

That would make DeSantis and his complaints about immigrants look bad.

[Happy Hoosier]

28. I think the Feds need to put a foot down here....

In that we cannot have asshole governmors deciding where these people will go.

BUT, I think those communities receiving these people should offer them genuine hospitality. Let's walk the walk, folks.

[Novara]

29. How do Florida's taxpayers feel about their money used for shitty stunts like this?

He should be charged with malfeasance.

[childfreebychoice]

49. DC mayor just allocated 10 mil to care for ppl shipped to DC. Feds refuse

To reimburse. This is DC taxpayer money being used for ppl who have entered, illegally. DC has large homeless pop, and shelter for LGBT has been closed due to lack of funding. I have foreign friends, who came the right way, this is not fair to them, or those waiting to get in

[Novara]

76. It isn't fair to the taxpayers either.

Immigrants are going to come, no ifs, ands, or buts. How we treat them sets us apart from savages. Shipping them to other states like they are unwanted garbage as a political stunt isn't fair to ANYBODY. And it treats them like they are less than human.

I don't care how anybody feels about illegal immigration. The fact is, these are human beings, children. We need to treat them with humanity, not like discarded garbage.

[myohmy2]

36. if...

...I were Massachusetts I'd give early release to any non-violent criminal willing to relocated to Tallahassee for at least months...

...a free bus ride with any free federal financial support they could muster...

...blue states can play this game too...

[Evolve Dammit]

37. I don't understand how this is even legal?? Abbott or DeSatan. Seems like kidnapping.

[Alexander Of Assyria]

41. It isn't, can't be... ithe fascists are protected by the democratic system of justice, takes long ti

to prove guilt beyond reasonable doubt. Rule of law being paramount, justice has to comply, the fascists don’t.

Democracy has to play by the rules, fascists play with democracy by no rules.

[Evolve Dammit]

46. I don't even think the media can keep up, let alone DOJ. 45 "loves chaos."

[LeftInTX]

54. In Texas, I don't think the state can pay for the flight

It wasn't in the budget. So, Abbott used private money to pay for the busses.

AKA: I'm just a guy with money paying for busses.

However, in this case the fight originates in Texas. The immigrants aren't anywhere near Florida and the state of Florida is paying for the flight. Additionally they're on a plane, which requires ID to fly. This really stinks and I doubt it's legal.

[Evolve Dammit]

84. but just like the kids separated under the Orange Chosen One, they just do it and let DOJ come and

get me? It's pretty fucking blatant.

[Roc2020]

44. I think the rotting smell of Hypocrisy

will be so overwhelming even many in the GOP 'Christian' base will either stay home or vote Dem. The rot is so bad.

[LetMyPeopleVote]

47. When Florida used immigrants as pawns, Martha's Vineyard treated them like human beings.

Link to tweet

[Darkhawk32]

48. Perhaps...

California, New York and Massachusetts should empty their prisons, hire Nicholas Cage and ConAir all of their most hardened criminals to Texas and Florida. Helicopter them in right next to the Governor's mansions.

Just a thought. 😉

[Warpy]

50. Loaded onto planes and not told where they were going?

This sounds like mass kidnapping to me and certainly a violation of human rights.

De Satan and his good buddy Abbott belong in prison.

As for the migrants, they are arriving at the beginning of the off season, so shelter will be available. Martha's Vineyard sounds like an odd choice of a destination, but I'm sure it was a "stick it to the libbies, make them cry" dick move on De Satan's part.

[niyad]

73. I read upthread where the Obamas just bought a home there. Coincidence??

[Warpy]

78. Hence, "stick it to the libbies."

This stunt is so transparent and so disrespectful of human rights that charges need to be brought.

[33taw]

56. Most of these folks want an opportunity to start a new life.

There are so many places that need workers, help them find housing and jobs. Play up the - we support religious values of supporting those in need and blue states paying for red states to flounder.

[Snackshack]

58. I am guessing there are

Laws against such acts not that that matters because the DOJ gives congress a 60 day mulligan prior to elections…

[IbogaProject]

61. DOJ needs to charge

If they can charge felonies for fraud on anyone making false offers than the RICO laws kick in with Triple damages and stiff sentences for conspiracy.

[867-5309.]

65. I question if they can transport meaningful numbers of people

Think of the logistics and costs of just this stunt.

[anti stupid]

66. Well I have an idea

Perhaps blue states should start suing Texas and Florida for any extra costs associated with setting these migrants up with decent accommodations. And perhaps any blue state with nuclear reactors could start sending (un announced) shipments of spent nuclear fuel to Florida and Texas because these states can "better facilitate" this type of material. AND as a free bonus, escaping radioactivity might just Reduce the number of dumbfucks in those red states.

[heckles65]

67. The thing is, the whole stunt is predicated on the ideas

1). that Blue states don't have illegals (they do, or at least I know very well that Vermont does)



2) . Martha's Vineyard is uniformly liberal (it isn't)



3). Martha's Vineyard passed some sort of 'sanctuary law' (MV isn't a separate political entity, but consists of six separate Mass. towns)



4). most importantly, that there isn't any condonation of illegals on behalf of officialdom in Texas or Florida - in other words, you hire your illegals and and the police/politicians say I'll look the other way, for a price. And I know damn well that there is.

[Peregrine Took]

69. 'Just sent 2 groups to the VP mansion in DC. THe Martha's Vineyard people didn't know where they

were or why they were sent there.

Surely this is kidnapping.

[anti stupid]

74. southern red state are historicaly

Experts in capturing human beings and shipping them like cargo

[orangecrush]

90. Good point

[Marthe48]

75. I would love to mentor refugees, immigrants, migrants

Unless the law is changed, private citizens can't house the people coming to our country. It is a damned shame that elected officials treat people like objects, that people in America think it is okay to treat displaced people, or people who came to the U.S. for a job and want to stay for whatever reason, or people who do work, then go home, like they are animals.

The Americans who fear strangers coming into this country need to get hold of themselves and stop being such babies about change. I bet you any money if the shoe were on the other foot, the same Americans who won't accept strangers in this country, would expect to be welcomed woith open arms if they were forced to leave the U.S. I think we'd be better off as a country if they did leave. russia lost a bunch of people lately. Maybe they'd like oppressive types to bolster the population.

[groundloop]

79. I hope Democrats can use this to cut into Latino support of GQP

I keep reading that Latin-American support of the Democratic Party is slipping (at least in part through misleading advertising on Spanish speaking radio and tv). I'd hope that by exposing this stunt that trend can be reversed. A large portion of the Latin-American population has to hate the fact that the GQP is using people with brown skin as political pawns.

[Picaro]

80. Cruelty is the point

Last edited Thu Sep 15, 2022, 05:21 PM - Edit history (1)

We are using the wrong language about the refugee crisis we're experiencing. These are not migrants, but refugees from failed nations that have devolved into anarchy.

As with any power vacuum something has to emerge to fill that vacuum. In Venezuela, Honduras, El Salvador, Haiti, Ecuador and other nations the central government has ceased to govern and has devolved into violent authoritarian systems that only exist to maintain their power and wealth--usually with the help of a bloated, over funded military. Where the governments have stopped functioning as governments violent gangs have sprouted that subsist off of extortion, forced prostitution, drugs, and constant real threats to anyone not a member of the gangs

The reason these countries have become failed states is due to over 100 years of U.S. interference in these countries for the benefits of large multinational companies homed in the U.S. We are now literally reaping the whirlwind that we have sown.

It is an ironic justice that these poor refugees are coming to the very place that worked so hard to destroy nascent left wing democracies so that U.S. companies could pillage and profit without interference from honest governments focused on improving the lives of their people.

Let's start calling these refugees what they are--refugees. Not migrants. Not illegal aliens.

These are refugees that are trying to escape intolerable conditions that make normal life impossible for honest, hard working peoples.

Call them what they are. And then highlight the garish cruelty of the former Republican criminal regime and underscore that these are desperate refugees seeking somewhere they can live and prosper. They are not an army massed on the southern border of the the U.S. just waiting to invade and lay waste to the border states.

These are people that Abbot and DeSantis are treating like they are toys.

[Alexander Of Assyria]

88. Well said. Refugees is correct term. I will use forward. Any other term is dehumanizing, that what

the fascists want, cruelty to humans

It’s evil, needs to be recognized as exactly that.

[MrsCheaplaugh]

91. Hear, hear

Look at the reality of the situation.

[itcfish]

81. The Federal Government

Should cut federal funds allocated for Florida and Texas and give the money to CA, MA and NY. Hit them in their pocket. Of course we need to control congress in order to do that.

[usajumpedtheshark]

93. Redirect federal funds from FL and TX to those cities they are shipping immigrants to

Assuming that those states are given some funding for migrant care