DeSantis Defends Flying Migrants to Martha’s Vineyard: ‘Better to Go to a Sanctuary… We Will Help Facilitate That’
Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL) defended his decision to send migrants to heavily Democratic Martha’s Vineyard, and he commented Massachusetts is a “sanctuary” state.
To the contrary, the Florida Republican said his state will adhere to current immigration laws while sharing the burden of people he said do not pay taxes with areas he claimed oppose border security.
Wednesday, video of a plane with Central American migrants went viral. Two planes with an estimated 50 people touched down in the exclusive island which his home to many wealthy Americans – including former President Barack Obama.
Much of the media spent Thursday calling the decision inhumane. Others accused Republican governors who send migrants to heavily Democratic areas of using them as political pawns.
DeSantis argued at a press conference Thursday that migrants in the country illegally are better off in areas that will welcome them with open arms:
We are not a sanctuary state, and it’s better to be able to go to a sanctuary jurisdiction, and yes, we will help facilitate that transport for you to be able to go to greener pastures. Biden would fly people in the middle of the night, dump them all cross his country, there was no warning on any of this.
DeSantis said during the administration of former President Donald Trump, Democrats were “so proud to be sanctuary jurisdictions” while criticizing his immigration 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 the sudden go berserk,” he said. “Their virtue signaling is a fraud.”
DeSantis added, “Every community in America should be sharing in the burdens. It shouldn’t all fall on a handful of red states. You don’t like it as much when you get just a small, small, small amount compared to what these folks have dealt with in Texas and in other states.”
Massachusetts’ highest court ruled in 2017 law enforcement officers are not permitted to arrest people suspected of being in the country illegally if they have not committed another crime.
