Ian Patrick, FISM News
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis is following the lead of Texas Governor Greg Abbott and Arizona Governor Doug Ducey by sending illegal immigrants to Democrat-run cities.
A recent video obtained by Fox News Digital shows two planes unloading illegal immigrants at Martha’s Vineyard Airport in Massachusetts. The video shows the immigrants exiting the plane and entering a nearby transportation van.
🚨BREAKING: @GovRonDeSantis sent illegal immigrants to Martha’s Vineyard on a plane. pic.twitter.com/h1m9Yu1y3S
— Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) September 14, 2022
Taryn Fenske, the communications director for DeSantis, told Fox News that “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.”
“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,” Fenske added.
The office of Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker told Fox News that they were aware of the arrivals and that “short-term shelter services are being provided by local officials, and the administration will continue to support those efforts.”
Reports suggest that the 50 or so immigrants arriving on the plane originated from Venezuela, and were mostly young men in their 20s and 30s.
Martha’s Vineyard is known for being a vacation area in Massachusetts for many Democrat politicians, such as the Obamas, who purchased an $11.75 million property there in 2019.
Christina Pushaw, a spokesperson for DeSantis‘ reelection campaign, was active on Twitter explaining the situation shortly after the news of the immigrants arriving in Martha’s Vineyard broke.
Martha’s Vineyard residents should be thrilled about this. They vote for sanctuary cities — they get a sanctuary city of their own. And illegal aliens will increase the town’s diversity, which is strength. Right?
https://t.co/rxSkQ9XdKA #FoxNews
— Christina Pushaw 🐊 🇺🇸 (@ChristinaPushaw) September 15, 2022
Among some of the many tweets and responses she made, Pushaw noted that Martha’s Vineyard “voted for sanctuary cities” and that Governor DeSantis was granting “their wishes” to “support illegal immigration and … more diversity.”
She also replied to Mass. State Representative Dylan Fernandes, who said that his community “comes together to support immigrants” after the illegal immigrants landed. Pushaw simply said, “Great, then you won’t mind taking in a few thousand more.”
Great, then you won’t mind taking in a few thousand more. https://t.co/uUt48yrypx
— Christina Pushaw 🐊 🇺🇸 (@ChristinaPushaw) September 15, 2022
Often, Pushaw was responding to critics of the move who called it a “political stunt” and even equated DeSantis to Venezuela’s Nicolás Maduro. Others in support of the move noted Biden’s “open border policies” and defended the governor saying he “did what he had to do.”
DeSantis had previously stated back in November 2021 that he was considering bussing illegal immigrants to President Joe Biden’s home state of Delaware. At the time, he said that if Biden is “not going to support the border being secured, then he should be able to have everyone there.”
Florida also approved a budget in April with $12 million allocated to the Florida Department of Transportation specifically for the removal and relocation of illegal immigrants. At that point, it was only a matter of when they would be sent and where they would go.
The news also follows reports of Texas Governor Abbott and Arizona Governor Ducey sending illegal immigrants to other liberal cities including New York and Washington, D.C. In fact, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser recently declared a state of emergency over the number of immigrants arriving in her city.