Florida official asks DoJ to investigate DeSantis flying migrants to Martha’s Vineyard

In a letter to US Attorney General Merrick Garland, Florida’s Commissioner of Agriculture Nicole Fried decried DeSantis’ ‘use of human beings to score political points’

A Florida Democratic official has asked the DoJ to open an investigation into the transport of migrants to Martha’s vineyard ordered by Governor Ron DeSantis.

In a letter to US Attorney General Merrick Garland, Florida’s Commissioner of Agriculture Nikki Fried said Mr DeSantis’ “use of human beings to score political points” raised several legal questions and warranted an in-depth investigation by the federal government.

“Just got off the phone with the @WhiteHouse. I’m asking the @TheJusticeDept to investigate Ron DeSantis’ political human trafficking,” Ms Fried tweeted on Thursday, referring to the unannounced transportation of 50 Venezuelan immigrants to Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts.

In an official letter to the Department of Justice, Ms Fried also wrote: “Regardless of potential shelter or job opportunities, the decision to send 50 migrants to a small community without notice shows a complete disregard for the safety of the migrants and the resources necessary to adequately address their care.”

Mr DeSantis has taken credit for the “innovative” relocation programme, saying that Florida is not a sanctuary city and that he will “facilitate the transport for migrants to able to go to greener pastures.” The White House has called the stunt “deeply alarming,” while Democratic leaders have branded it a frivolous political move to punish their party.

A woman, who is part of a group of immigrants that had just arrived, holds a child as they are fed outside St Andrews Episcopal Church (Ray Ewing/Vineyard Gazette 2022)

“... According to media statements, the island’s sole homeless shelter does not operate during the summer and can only accommodate ten people ... “ Ms Fried’s letter read. “The needs on the ground will only be amplified should Governor Ron DeSantis choose to use taxpayer’s dollars to traffick more human beings as a political stunt.”

After the migrants arrived at the wealthy island’s airport on Wednesday, they were given food at the local high school and spent the night at St Andrew’s Episcopal Church in Edgartown, which is a 15-minute drive from Martha’s Vineyard, the Martha’s Vineyard Gazette reported.

According to NPR, the migrants were told they were being sent to Boston to obtain work papers through a Florida-sponsored programme. They began their flight in San Antonio, Texas, before going to the panhandle in Florida and then on to Martha’s Vineyard.

Mr DeSantis’ office later sent a statement to the outlet reading, “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.”

DESANTIS-INMIGRANTES-VUELOS (AP)

Former Republican governor of Florida Charlie Crist, who is now running as a Democrat to unseat Mr DeSantis in the fall, accused his opponent of trying to “score political points”.

“Everything Ron DeSantis does is to score political points and feed red meat to his base in his thinly veiled attempt to run for President – but it’s really Floridians who pay the price,” the Democrat tweeted.

During an event on Thursday, Mr DeSantis defended the decision.

“Biden would fly people in the middle of the night, dump them all across this country, there was no warning on any of this,” he said.

“And all of those people were beating their chests when Trump was president, saying they were so proud to be sanctuary jurisdictions, saying how bad it was to have a secure border, 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.”