Florida Governor Ron DeSantis made good on his promise to send illegal immigrants to blue areas when he sent two planes of them to Martha’s Vineyard, a Massachusetts island home to wealthy progressives like former President Barack Obama.
🚨BREAKING: @GovRonDeSantis sent illegal immigrants to Martha’s Vineyard on a plane. pic.twitter.com/h1m9Yu1y3S
— Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) September 14, 2022
Democratic commentators and lawmakers cried out in unison against the move, characterizing it as a cynical and dehumanizing political stunt.
The Governor of one of the biggest states in the nation has been spending time hatching a secret plot to round up & ship people-children, families-lying to them about where theyre going just to gain cheap political points on Tucker Calrson and MAGA twitter. It's fucking depraved
— Dylan Fernandes (@RepDylan) September 15, 2022
Despite arguing that the move was to the immigrants and Martha’s Vineyard’s detriment, Fernandes, A Massachusetts state legislature representative, lauded the community for taking care of the immigrants and celebrated their arrival.
Pulling into Martha's Vineyard right now. An island that welcomes immigrants and is stronger and more vibrant because of them. pic.twitter.com/iUzXSKCkiJ
— Dylan Fernandes (@RepDylan) September 14, 2022
Our island jumped into action putting together 50 beds, giving everyone a good meal, providing a play area for the children, making sure people have the healthcare and support they need. We are a community that comes together to support immigrants. pic.twitter.com/kG5bglhbLe
— Dylan Fernandes (@RepDylan) September 15, 2022
These immigrants were not met with chaos, they were met with compassion. We are a community & nation that is stronger because of immigrants. The community coming together with water, food, interpretation help, & resources to support these families represent the best of America.
— Dylan Fernandes (@RepDylan) September 15, 2022
Fernandes’ reaction was not unique, with some even comparing the move to Holocaust trains.
History does not look kindly on leaders who treat human beings like cargo, loading them up and sending them a thousand miles away without telling them their destination. Still, Florida @GovRonDeSantis made that choice today.
— Congressman Bill Keating (@USRepKeating) September 15, 2022
However, this comparison was met with swift pushback. DeSantis’ War Room noted the distinct difference between concentration camps and the empathetic policies of Martha’s Vineyard.
CNN says Gov. DeSantis' chartering free flights for illegal aliens to an ultra-wealthy sanctuary jurisdiction has the "same themes" as the Holocaust.
NO! Florida requires factual Holocaust education.
And the fact is: Nazi concentration camps were NOTHING like Martha's Vineyard. pic.twitter.com/AVuHitHB8J
— DeSantis War Room (@DeSantisWarRoom) September 15, 2022
Rick Wilson, the co-founder of the RINO Lincoln project, even floated the idea that Governor DeSantis was breaking the law and acting like a “coyote.” with the move.
A friend points out @RonDeSantisFL flew two planeloads of illegal migrants from Venezuela to Martha's Vineyard without coordinating with DHS or INS…
Does that make him a coyote?
I mean, I'm no lawyer, but 8 USC 1342 ii… pic.twitter.com/gkbkHl7Mzx
— Rick Wilson (@TheRickWilson) September 15, 2022
However, the DeSantis War Room again fired back quickly, claiming both major hypocrisy and refuting the point.
And the worst part?
The Biden Administration has secretly smuggled unvetted migrants to Florida. We are not a sanctuary state and never claimed to be.
Martha's Vineyard IS a sanctuary jurisdiction. Liberals should be thanking Governor DeSantis for making their dreams come true. https://t.co/aL1EhwKeYW— DeSantis War Room (@DeSantisWarRoom) September 15, 2022
In the past year, transnational organized crime gangs helped smuggle 2 million illegal aliens into this country, encouraged by Biden's open-border policy.
Then, Biden sent them around the country on clandestine midnight flights.
NOW liberals are worried about "human trafficking"? pic.twitter.com/80ESSloS8m— DeSantis War Room (@DeSantisWarRoom) September 15, 2022
Remember, Gov. DeSantis requested funds in the state budget to transport illegal aliens to sanctuary states. It's paid for, using interest from federal funds.
Biden used our tax dollars to pay contractors to smuggle 1000’s of illegals to our cities in the dead of night.
EQUITY pic.twitter.com/pFGMsnFfbf
— DeSantis War Room (@DeSantisWarRoom) September 15, 2022
The Crist campaign weighed in on the issue as well. Crist’s running mate Karla Hernández-Mats went after the Governor for the move, claiming that he was sending Hispanics to other states. The War Room and rapid response director Christina Pushaw quickly clarified DeSantis’ actual position and that Hispanics and illegal immigrants aren’t the same things.
Wow. Karla Marx thinks all Hispanics are illegal aliens. https://t.co/WbJwGZzX1p
— DeSantis War Room (@DeSantisWarRoom) September 15, 2022
The vast majority of Hispanics in Florida are here legally, and many were born in this country. Why do you assume all Hispanics are illegal immigrants?
— Christina Pushaw 🐊 🇺🇸 (@ChristinaPushaw) September 15, 2022
Crist himself made a similar argument, also calling DeSantis “inhumane.”
What does Ron DeSantis do on the start of Hispanic Heritage Month? Funds the deportation of refugees to another state.
These are families who've risked their lives to flee Maduro's socialist regime for the promise of freedom — children and families used for political theater.
— Charlie Crist (@CharlieCrist) September 15, 2022
When you're this inhumane, you're not qualified to be governor.
— Charlie Crist (@CharlieCrist) September 15, 2022
One commentator on Twitter pushed back on the accusation of cruelty, arguing Martha’s Vineyard is a better area. He also noted the inherent double standard in the criticisms.
Y is it cruel to send them to Martha's Vineyard? A lot of wealthy people there and it's a beautiful area for the illegal immigrants, to stay. Plus, they have a lot of empty rooms in their homes to house these people. Y don't you have a problem with it when they come to our homes?
— Brian Perras (@bperras12) September 15, 2022
DeSantis himself responded to the backlash, noting that the areas he relocated the illegal immigrants to would be more supportive than Florida. He also said Biden could prevent the entire issue by securing the border.
Gov. @RonDeSantisFL’s message to President Biden: “What would be best is for Biden to do his damn job and secure the border.” pic.twitter.com/H5TgLSNurY
— Lindsey Curnutte 🐊 (@lindseycurnutte) September 15, 2022
In a zoom press conference, Crist dodged this point multiple times.
Charlie Crist's Zoom press conference about Governor DeSantis sending illegal migrants to Martha's Vineyard did not exactly go the way he had hoped.
4 reporters asked Charlie what he would do about the Biden Border Crisis.
4 times, he dodged the question. pic.twitter.com/xM8m8JFKUE— DeSantis War Room (@DeSantisWarRoom) September 15, 2022
The move makes it impossible for Democrats to dodge the issue anymore and takes the pressure off of Florida by issuing an ultimatum: secure the border or feel the effects of your own policies.
"The minute even a small fraction of what those border towns deal with every day is brought to their front door they all of a sudden go berserk and they're so upset this is happening. It just shows you their virtue signaling is a fraud." –@RonDeSantisFL 🔥pic.twitter.com/q7GuRS2eUW
— Delanie 🐊 (@DelanieBomar) September 15, 2022
“The minute even a small fraction of what those border towns deal with every day is brought to their front door they all of a sudden go berserk and they’re so upset this is happening. It just shows you their virtue signaling is a fraud.”
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