Gov. DeSantis defends decision to fly migrants to Martha's Vineyard: 'We're not a sanctuary state'
MIAMI - Gov. Ron DeSantis on Thursday defended his decision to fly two plane loads of undocumented migrants to Martha's Vineyard even as a group was holding a rally in South Florida to denounce the governor's actions.
"We take what's happening at the southern border very seriously," DeSantis said Thursday morning at the end of a news conference in North Florida that he held to tout the benefits of commercial trucking. "Our message is we're not a sanctuary state."
There were at least 50 Venezuelans who were flown to Martha's Vineyard under the governor's orders.
Local Venezuelan leaders and other immigration advocates gathered in Doral where they denounced what they call DeSanits' blatant disregard for human life and the lies he told to the Cuban and Venezuelan communities. They point to a September 7th press conference in Miami where they said he promised that neither Cubans nor Venezuelans would be sent out of the state.
"We are here today to tell Governor DeSantis that he has to stop. We demand that he stops using our pain, our suffering, and our desperation for his political gain," said Adelys Ferro, with the Venezuelan American Caucus.
"This is just the beginning. If we don't raise our voices and let them know that we are human beings, that immigrants are here to work, to have a life. (They are) looking for democracy, for peace, for liberty, for stability for them and their families," she added.
Taryn Fenske, the governor's spokesperson, told Fox News Digital that the planes were part of the state's relocation program to "transport illegal immigrants to sanctuary destinations."
DeSantis blamed the Biden Administration for reversing Trump era policies that detained those seeing to immigrate to the U.S. at the Southern border. He also said that political leaders who were upset at Trump's policies were "so happy to be a sanctuary city."
"When people are brought to their front door, they go berserk," he said. "Their virtue signaling is a fraud."
The Florida Legislature appropriated $12 million to transport "illegal immigrants" from the state consistent with federal law, Fenske said.
The planes took off from Texas, then made a stop in the Florida panhandle, before making their way to the island.
"These are people were lied to by Gov. DeSantis," says Dylan Fernandes, Massachusetts State Rep. Dylan Fernandes.
Fernandez spoke with CBS4 on Thursday regarding the governor's actions.
"It is absolutely cowardice to use women and children to use for [his] political gain, and I couldn't be more disgusted," says Fernandes.
Fernandes tweeted: "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."
The move is likely to delight DeSantis' supporters who deride Democrat-led, immigrant-friendly "sanctuary" cities and anger critics who say he is weaponizing migrants as pawns for political gain.
"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 through their designation as 'sanctuary states' and support for the Biden Administration's open border policies," Fenske said.
Some of the migrants sent to Massachusetts told translators they didn't even know where they were.
Democratic gubernatorial candidate Charlie Crist, who is running against DeSantis in November, tweeted that the governor should stop using people as political pawns.
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. https://t.co/QG1cRU8M7d
— Charlie Crist (@CharlieCrist) September 15, 2022
The Archdiocese of Miami issued a statement that read in part:
"Immigration is not just a political issue, but a fundamental human and moral issue. For the immigrants are not faceless numbers - but human persons. They are our brothers and sisters. Justice and prudence demand that we treat them with dignity and find a reasonable way for their contributions and presence to be recognized within the law."