Graphic by Shoshana Liebowitz
Matthew Quisel
News Reporter
On September 15, Ron DeSantis, the Republican Florida governor, flew 50 mostly Venezuelan asylum seekers to Martha’s Vineyard. The planes that brought the immigrants departed from San Antonio and touched down mid-afternoon on the popular vacation destination. Connecting flights also brought immigrants from Florida and the Carolinas.
Fellow conservative states Arizona and Texas have already sent buses of undocumented immigrants from the Mexican border to democratic strongholds in their attempt to spotlight what they consider to be the Biden administration’s relaxed border policy. Florida has now joined the fray. Interestingly, Florida does not share a border with Mexico, leading many to believe that DeSantis’s intentions were purely political. As the midterm elections are just around the corner, many would agree that their theories are likely true.
Although DeSantis may have boosted his clout in the GOP—and his reelection chances—many have been quick to question the legality of his actions. For one, several of the immigrants say they were promised a trip to Boston accompanied with helpful services. Instead, they were flown to an island where nobody had been notified of their arrival. One of the passengers, Luis, noted that the people felt scared and desperately wanted help upon arrival. Fortunately, the citizens of Martha’s Vineyard provided aid in the form of shelter, food, and water. Governor Baker then moved them to a military base on Cape Cod.
So, was it illegal for the Governor of Florida to trick 50 immigrants into relocating to a state in which he has no jurisdiction? Many people seem to think so, notably the migrants’ lawyers. Lawyers for Civil Rights, a legal group that represents many of the flight passengers, has filed a class action lawsuit against the state of Florida and certain individuals (namely Ron DeSantis). Their suit forms its argument on the lies and fraud that the asylum seekers endured.
Coupled with the lawsuit, Bexar County Sheriff Javier Salazar, who oversees the police force in San Antonio, has designated investigators to determine any possible criminal activities committed by Florida politicians. As Mr. Salazar said, “[they] had a right not to be preyed on and played for a fool,” in reference to the migrants’ predicament. Both legal battles have only just started and are likely to continue, no matter what the outcome may be.
