By Patricia Mazzei, Remi Tumin, and Eliza Fawcett
New York Times
About 50 migrants unexpectedly arrived by plane on Martha’s Vineyard on Wednesday, local officials said, escalating a tactic in which Republican-led states have shipped busloads of migrants to liberal bastions like Washington and New York to protest the significant rise in illegal immigration under President Biden.
The migrant group, which included children, arrived on two planes around 3 p.m. without any warning, said State Senator Julian Cyr, a Massachusetts Democrat representing Cape Cod, Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket. Officials and volunteers from the island’s six towns “really moved heaven and earth to essentially set up the response that we would do in the event of a hurricane,” he said.
As the migrants received Covid-19 tests, food and clothing, there was confusion on the ground about who had sent them to Martha’s Vineyard, a popular getaway for the moneyed and powerful. Migrants said they had started the day in San Antonio, but it was the Florida governor’s office that took responsibility.
“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,” Ms. Fenske said in a statement.
One of the migrants, who asked to be identified only as Leonel, said in Spanish that the people of Martha’s Vineyard were generous and that he “had never seen anything like it.” They gave him a pair of shoes.
“I haven’t slept well in three months,” said Leonel, who does not have any relatives or friends in the United States. “It’s been three months since I put on a new pair of pants. Or shoes.”
Leonel, 45, said he had left Venezuela about three months ago, crossing the roadless Darien Gap between Colombia and Panama and making his way north through Central America and Mexico. His first attempt at crossing the U.S. border failed. During his second attempt, at Piedras Negras, Mexico, he made it across the Rio Grande.
Leonel spent several days in immigration detention before being released in San Antonio, where he and other migrants were eventually told they could get passage to Massachusetts. They agreed.
Taryn M. Fenske, the communications director for Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida, said the two flights were part of a state program to transport undocumented immigrants to so-called sanctuary destinations. This year the Florida Legislature set aside $12 million for the transportation program.
Terry MacCormack, the press secretary for Gov. Charlie Baker of Massachusetts, said in a statement that his administration was in communication with local island officials, who were providing “short-term shelter services” to the migrants.
The migrants appear to mostly be from Venezuela, State Representative Dylan Fernandes said. They received basic relief services at Martha’s Vineyard Community Services in Oak Bluffs before being taken across the street to the regional high school and eventually to St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church in Edgartown, a former whaling town that is the most manicured on the island.
Even large American cities have struggled to cope with migrants who arrive “with little to no notice,” as Gov. J.B. Pritzker of Illinois put it in a disaster proclamation on Wednesday. He cited the emergency shelter and medical care needed by the 500 migrants who have been shipped on buses from Texas to Chicago.
“While other states may be treating these vulnerable families as pawns, here in Illinois, we are treating them as people,” Mr. Pritzker said in a statement.
The challenge faced by Martha’s Vineyard – which has a year-round population of about 20,000 – may be even more stark.
The Rev. Chip Seadale said St. Andrew’s had decided to take in the migrants for the night after learning that they had nowhere to go. A parishioner had reached out to him, knowing that the church helps house homeless people in the winter.
The island’s sole homeless shelter does not operate during the summer and has room for 10 people, with one bathroom, said Barbara Rush, the warden at St. Andrew’s. “Fifty people with no homes is an overwhelming number for the size of the community,” she said. “But this is a strong and capable community.”
The migrant group, which included children, arrived on two planes around 3 p.m. without any warning, said State Senator Julian Cyr, a Massachusetts Democrat representing Cape Cod, Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket. Officials and volunteers from the island’s six towns “really moved heaven and earth to essentially set up the response that we would do in the event of a hurricane,” he said.
As the migrants received Covid-19 tests, food and clothing, there was confusion on the ground about who had sent them to Martha’s Vineyard, a popular getaway for the moneyed and powerful. Migrants said they had started the day in San Antonio, but it was the Florida governor’s office that took responsibility.
“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,” Ms. Fenske said in a statement.
One of the migrants, who asked to be identified only as Leonel, said in Spanish that the people of Martha’s Vineyard were generous and that he “had never seen anything like it.” They gave him a pair of shoes.
“I haven’t slept well in three months,” said Leonel, who does not have any relatives or friends in the United States. “It’s been three months since I put on a new pair of pants. Or shoes.”
Leonel, 45, said he had left Venezuela about three months ago, crossing the roadless Darien Gap between Colombia and Panama and making his way north through Central America and Mexico. His first attempt at crossing the U.S. border failed. During his second attempt, at Piedras Negras, Mexico, he made it across the Rio Grande.
Leonel spent several days in immigration detention before being released in San Antonio, where he and other migrants were eventually told they could get passage to Massachusetts. They agreed.
Taryn M. Fenske, the communications director for Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida, said the two flights were part of a state program to transport undocumented immigrants to so-called sanctuary destinations. This year the Florida Legislature set aside $12 million for the transportation program.
Terry MacCormack, the press secretary for Gov. Charlie Baker of Massachusetts, said in a statement that his administration was in communication with local island officials, who were providing “short-term shelter services” to the migrants.
The migrants appear to mostly be from Venezuela, State Representative Dylan Fernandes said. They received basic relief services at Martha’s Vineyard Community Services in Oak Bluffs before being taken across the street to the regional high school and eventually to St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church in Edgartown, a former whaling town that is the most manicured on the island.
Even large American cities have struggled to cope with migrants who arrive “with little to no notice,” as Gov. J.B. Pritzker of Illinois put it in a disaster proclamation on Wednesday. He cited the emergency shelter and medical care needed by the 500 migrants who have been shipped on buses from Texas to Chicago.
“While other states may be treating these vulnerable families as pawns, here in Illinois, we are treating them as people,” Mr. Pritzker said in a statement.
The challenge faced by Martha’s Vineyard – which has a year-round population of about 20,000 – may be even more stark.
The Rev. Chip Seadale said St. Andrew’s had decided to take in the migrants for the night after learning that they had nowhere to go. A parishioner had reached out to him, knowing that the church helps house homeless people in the winter.
The island’s sole homeless shelter does not operate during the summer and has room for 10 people, with one bathroom, said Barbara Rush, the warden at St. Andrew’s. “Fifty people with no homes is an overwhelming number for the size of the community,” she said. “But this is a strong and capable community.”
20 comments:
Wrong. The Democrats are using them as political pawns. They care more about blacks, lesbians, criminals, castrated transvestites, and every other person or group that hates America.
September 15, 2022 at 6:43 AM
WRONG, again, idiota its argyrocracy pure and simple overt racism, greed, and its apparent and obvious to all good americans, that racist republicans are bad for this country.
Biden is using immigrants as political pawns Juan, no te hagas pendejo! He harps on building bridges and not fences… let them in but not in my backyard dammit! Hypocrites
The federal govt and President Biden, el lentes oscuros marijuano seguro, and the democrat party who is in control right now should reform immigrant laws ad put a stop to all these open border policies. I agree with Gov Abbott, hey keep bussing them to all those santuary cities that want these illegal aliens in their towns and cities and to VP Kamla harris district and Nancy Pelosi district as well. Thank you for calling, vote Republican in November, because We all know the Democrats wont do a thing only keep making more money for their pockets. Viva Abbott and all the republican candidates, NO MORE DEMOCRATS.
Racist republicans will sell out to russia or/and china, el pendejo cheeto got close, if he did sell it all, the hillbillys and red-necks would be in alaska shoveling snow FACT.............................c/s...
He don't like hillbillys he don't like re-necks ITS A FACT BOLA DE IDIOTAS MORONS...
September 15, 2022 at 9:32 AM
IDIOTA MAMON...
Flush your head gear, keep busing them to those sanctuary cities, Share the wealth.
Pinche idiota governor he should give a ticket to travel any where in the usa TO ALL TAXPAYERS IN TEXAS pinche idiota...
worthless sob
Sent taxpayer to tour the country not mojados that's how stupid this governor is PENDEJO RACIST REPUBLICAN.... VOTE HIM OUT
Call bud bud and get a free air ride to DC, but remember there are NO airfields here in the largest city in the Valley.
Yes, vote Republican unless Trump's name is on the ballot. It will be the third time I vote democrat if that happens. Hopefully, we will see names such as Pence, Desantis etc. etc. No more Big Lies.
Who's fault is this! A big bad Biden and democrats.
“Racist Republicans” yet you all are the ones always talking about race? cheeto, orange messiah, etc.that seems a little racist against gingers no? But I guess it doesn’t matter because they don’t have the beautiful brown skin if they are “cocos?” How about the new DOD chick that says you’re racist if you say blacks can be racist? I guess I am delusional because I was never called a cracker or honky by blacks or a pinche gringo/bolio/coco by the mojados.
September 16, 2022 at 12:26 AM ESTUPIDO!
The truth? Everyone has some racist attitudes
Here’s the bad news if you are one of those people asking, “Am I racist?”
“If you have to ask if you are a racist, you are,” says Angela Bell, an assistant professor of psychology at Lafayette College in Pennsylvania. “And if you are not asking if you are a racist, you are.”
COCO? THAN YOU ARE MESKIN? PINCHE MAMON COCO!
Never thought of it, having meskins at the vine, about time...
learn to cook pendejos show them the rice and beans and tortillas (de harina)...
racist republicans like the cheeto, are hardcore racist they even don't like hillbillys and red-necks only their vote NOTHING ELSE PENDEJOS!!!
Trump is called "Orange/Cheektowaga" because he looks like a citrus fruit. He is the only person that I know that is 🍊
Democrat party if you want the common fok to keep voting for your and your excellent benefits (muncho lana-ask eddie lucios both of them) time to do your work and fix the broken immigration laws now while you all control the white house, senate and congress y no ten chingando con su mamadas or esten jotinado.
Oye Montoya, you forget that your black racist ex-president obama started the political pawn maneuvers by building cages and deporting thousands? If you had any sense, you'd figure out how much money is being saved by Governor Abbott not having us taxpayers dish out money to house them? Its all about common sense!
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