Venezuelan migrants flown to the upscale Massachusetts island of Martha’s Vineyard sued Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and his transportation secretary Tuesday for engaging in a “fraudulent and discriminatory scheme” to relocate them.
The lawsuit, filed in federal court in Boston, alleges that the migrants were told they were going to Boston or Washington, “which was completely false,” and were induced with perks such as $10 McDonald’s gift certificates.
“No human being should be used as a political pawn,” said Ivan Espinoza-Madrigal, executive director of Lawyers for Civil Rights, which is seeking class-action status in the lawsuit filed on behalf of several migrants who were aboard last week’s flights and Alianza Americas, a network of advocacy groups.
DeSantis’ office did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the lawsuit, which also names Secretary of Transportation Jared W. Perdue as a defendant.
The lawsuit alleges that migrants were induced to cross state lines under false pretenses, a line that some Democratic officials are using to urge a federal investigation.
On Monday, Javier Salazar, the sheriff of Bexar County, which includes San Antonio, opened an investigation into the flights, but the elected Democrat did not say what laws may have been broken. California Gov. Gavin Newsom and U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro, whose district includes San Antonio, have asked the Justice Department to begin a probe.
Guesswork was rampant among government officials, advocates and journalists Tuesday about DeSantis’ next move, consistent with the element of surprise that he and another Republican governor, Greg Abbott of Texas, have sought to achieve by busing and flying migrants across the country to Democratic strongholds with little or no notice.
Asked Tuesday about speculation that DeSantis may send migrants to his home state of Delaware, President Joe Biden said: “He should come visit. We have a beautiful shoreline.”
DeSantis declined to confirm speculation, based on flight-tracking software, that more migrants were on the move. He again defended his decision to fly about 50 Venezuelans to Martha’s Vineyard, saying their decisions were completely voluntary and, without evidence, that they were in awful condition when Florida got involved.
(AP)
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11 Responses
Oh I’m sorry. Did these law breakers think Florida would meet them with open arms and give them for free what it takes LEGAL immigrants decades to achieve?
Even those Hispanics who came here LEGALLY years ago don’t want them here!
Why are they suing Florida wasn’t it Texas’ idea?
Also weren’t the pawns flown to westchester county months ago by our commander in chief
Is this law impeachable? 🤔
Can you imagine people fleeing the holocaust finding refugee in the US then suing a few weeks later because they were sent to somewhere that didn’t give them as many benefits as they were counting on?
The sheer brazed entitlement behavior of these immigrants should disabuse everyone of the belief that they are desperate refugees who only are here looking for work hard and build a better life.
Till when will YWN continue to traffic and amplify these ridiculous AP articles, which are packed with fact-manipulations and falsehoods…
@smerel
Do you really think it’s the immigrants who came up with the idea or some lawyers who couldn’t catch the ambulance and is trying to make some money a different way?
A little perspective. Stop blaming these emigrants. These migrants were taken and held in a military base. How did they even get a lawyer (for that matter, even if free how would they get a lawyer)? Quite obviously the Democrat machine engineered all this are are using these migrants as pawns and these migrants had no choice but to simply agree to anything that they were told to agree to.
Smerel: I guarantee you this has nothing to do with the immigrants’ entitlement. They were almost certainly coaxed and bribed into this by leftist lawyers.
Imagine that. Using destitute asylum seekers as a political pawns may end up costing DeSantis some money. There is a hope of justice in this world yet.
To SMerel:
You have an interesting comment there.
I noticed the comments afterwards, we can blame the lawyers.
Maybe we can blame both.
A unique combination-They are both at fault.
New definition of hutzpha: cross the border illegally and sue the governor.