Woman who allegedly helped arrange migrant flights to Martha's Vineyard identified as former counterintelligence agent
BOSTON - The woman who allegedly helped arrange migrant flights from Texas to Martha's Vineyard has been identified by CNN and the New York Times as Perla Huerta.
According to CNN and the Times, she's a former combat medic and counterintelligence agent who was discharged last month after serving 20 years in the U.S. Army.
"Perla Haydee Huerta served as a Combat Medic Specialist (68W) and Counterintelligence Agent (35L) in the regular Army from April 2002 to August 2022. She deployed to Iraq from May 2003 to July 2004 and October 2008 to October 2009; Afghanistan from December 2010 to July 2011, September 2014 to January 2015, August 2018 to November 2018 and January 2019 to February 2019; and Djibouti from August 2013 to October 2013," US Army spokesperson Madison Bonzo told CNN Monday. "She held the rank of master sergeant at the end of service."
Within the first few days of the migrants arriving on the Vineyard last month, several told attorneys representing them they were guided onto the planes by a woman named Perla.
A migrant who says he helped recruit the group that traveled from Texas to Massachusetts told CNN Huerta offered him clothes, food and money to go find passengers.
He claims she gave him $10 McDonald's gift cards to give to the migrants and told him they were going to be given shelter, were going to get help with the language and those who had children were going to study.
According to the Times, investigators believe she was sent from Tampa to Texas in order to fill the planes.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has taken credit for those flights. He's been named in a class-action lawsuit in the case. The attorneys for the migrants say once they confirm Perla's identity, they will add her to the lawsuit.
