GOP governors put focus on migrants with Martha's Vineyard transport

EDGARTOWN, Mass. — Republican governors this week escalated their campaign to transport migrants across the country, deepening a war with the Biden administration and Democratic states over immigration ahead of the November elections. The latest moves came from Republican governors Ron DeSantis of Florida and Greg Abbott of Texas, both of whom transported migrants from the southern border to Democratic strongholds. Abbott on Thursday sent two buses of migrants to a location near Vice President Kamala Harris’ residence in Washington while DeSantis Wednesday directed at least one plane carrying dozens of migrants to Martha’s Vineyard. The Florida governor’s move sparked local and state emergency responses in Massachusetts and accusations from Democrats that Republicans are politicizing immigration without recognizing the harm their moves are causing migrant families. Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker, a Democrat whose state has also seen an influx of migrants bused from the border, said “legal authorities are looking into whether or not there is criminal liability” for sending people without notice to the city or state where they’re being sent. The decision by DeSantis to fly migrants to Martha’s Vineyard, a summer enclave for the nation’s elite, drew a particularly harsh rebuke from Democrats who said the Florida governor had gone too far. President Joe Biden on Thursday night said that the administration has a process in place to migrants at the border and Republicans shouldn’t interfere with “political stunts.” “Republicans are playing politics with human beings, using them as props. What they’re doing is simply wrong,” he said, speaking at a gala for the Congressional Hispanic Caucus. GOP’s migrant busing causes rift between Biden and Democratic mayors Busloads of migrants have been dropped off in the nation’s capital since April, as the Biden administration and Democratic mayors dispute over whose responsibility it is to provide aid. SharePlay Video The moves by the Republican governors came just months ahead of the 2022 midterm elections. Immigration continues to be a hot-button issue for many Republicans, including in Texas and Florida, where DeSantis and Abbott are seeking reelection. The way the governors are using immigration to drum up support is reminiscent of how Republicans in 2018, including former President Donald Trump, used the migrant caravans from Central America to stoke fear in an effort to keep their congressional majority. The Republican governors’ actions this week follow months of similar transports from Abbott, who has sent thousands of migrants from the southern border to blue cities like Chicago, New York and Washington. Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey has also bused undocumented immigrants to the nation’s capital. DeSantis this year convinced the Republican-led Florida Legislature to set aside $12 million to fund attempts to move migrants to other states. The governor has also said he’s prepared to bus undocumented immigrants to Biden’s home state of Delaware. But at least three government officials said they are seeking input from the Justice Department on whether the transports are legal. California Gov. Gavin Newsom and Florida Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried, who was seeking the Democratic nomination for governor, said separately on Thursday that they asked the DOJ to probe DeSantis over the migrants sent to Massachusetts. Similarly, U.S. Attorney for Massachusetts Rachael Rollins said her office plans to speak to the Justice Department about the transports. ‘Reckless’: White House slams DeSantis, Abbott for sending migrants to other states SharePlay Video “We are looking into that case, and we’ll be speaking with members of the Department of Justice. Massachusetts isn’t the only place where this has happened,” she said at a press conference. “We have several other sister communities, whether it’s D.C., New York, California, where we’ve seen things like this, and we’re hoping to get some input from the Department of Justice about what our next steps might be, if any at all.” During a press conference Thursday in Florida, DeSantis defended the move to send migrants to Martha’s Vineyard, saying the state is helping “facilitate” those who want to go to what he called a “sanctuary jurisdiction.” Yet the situation on the ground in Martha’s Vineyard was far from what the governor characterized. “None of them wanted to come to Martha’s Vineyard,” Lisa Belcastro, director of the Harbor Homes Winter Shelter on the island that is home to about 17,000 residents during the off-season, said Thursday in Edgartown. “They’ve never heard of Martha’s Vineyard.” For more information, visit us at http://www.beverlyhillsimmigrationlaw.com/index.html.