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Immigration

Ron DeSantis sends planes of migrants to Martha's Vineyard 

Around 48 migrants from Venezuela and Colombia arrived at Martha’s Vineyard Airport

September 14, 2022 9:00pm

Updated: September 15, 2022 8:53am

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis sent two planes full of undocumented migrants to Martha’s Vineyard on Wednesday, following up on his promise to send migrants to Democratic states. 

"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.

Around 48 migrants from Venezuela and Colombia arrived at Martha’s Vineyard Airport. A video provided to Fox News shows the migrants deporting the planes at the airport.

Island officials and emergency management representatives relocated the arrivals to the cafeteria at Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School. 

“We are all kind of piecing the story together,” said schools superintendent Richie Smith. “We are providing water and food and things like that right now and trying to learn about the situation.”

"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," added Fenske. 

"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 continued. 

DeSantis had previously proposed Delaware—President Biden’s home state— or Martha’s Vineyard—a Massachusetts area known to be an area for rich progressives—as a potential destination for migrants in Florida. 

However, the governor’s administration also said that the undocumented migrants could be sent to “other ‘progressive states’ whose governors endorse blatant violations of federal immigration law.”

"It is not the responsibility of Floridians to subsidize aliens to reside in our state unlawfully; we did not consent to Biden’s open-borders agenda," the governor’s office said at the time.

DeSantis’ move comes as Texas Governor Greg Abbott has bused thousands of migrants from the border region of Texas to Washington, D.C., New York, and Chicago to protest against federal immigration policies.