Florida Governor, Ron DeSantis, sent two plans full of illegal immigrants to Martha’s Vineyard on Wednesday, according to Fox News Digital.
Martha’s Vineyard is famously known as a popular vacation destination for the extremely wealthy, especially popular with progressive celebrities and politicians, including Barak Obama, who bought a multimillion-dollar estate on the Massachusetts island in 2019.
A spokesperson for Governor DeSantis confirmed to that the flights were part of Florida’s relocation program to transport illegal immigrants to sanctuary destinations, adding that “states like Massachusetts, New York and California will better facilitate the care of these individuals who they have invited into our country….”
Florida state legislators appropriated $12 million from the state budget for the Florida Department of Transportation to implement the immigrant relocation program in April.
From the Fox News Digital report:
“Yes, Florida can confirm the two planes with illegal immigrants that arrived in Martha’s Vineyard today were part of the state’s relocation program to transport illegal immigrants to sanctuary destinations,” the governor’s communications director, Taryn Fenske, told Fox News Digital.
“As you may know, in this past legislative session the Florida legislature appropriated $12 million to implement a program to facilitate the transport of illegal immigrants from this state consistent with federal law,” she said, later adding that the state’s “immigration relocation program targets both human smugglers found in the state, but also preempts others from coming to Florida.”
The office of Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker responded to an after-hours email from Fox News Digital, saying it was aware of the situation and that the arrivals were provided short-term shelter.
“The Baker-Polito Administration is in touch with local officials regarding the arrival of migrants in Martha’s Vineyard,” Terry MacCormack, Baker’s press secretary, wrote. “At this time, short-term shelter services are being provided by local officials, and the Administration will continue to support those efforts.”
Fox News Digital reported in April that Florida’s budget since approved by the state legislature included $12 million for the Florida Department of Transportation to remove illegal immigrants from the state and relocate them.
Democrats were furious that the immigrants were sent to sanctuary Massachusetts and blasted Governor DeSantis on social media, some suggesting that the FL governor had broken the law.
Others approved of the move and mocked those who were outraged by it:
