Ron DeSantis sends 2 planes of migrants to Martha's Vineyard


Approximately 50 migrants unexpectedly arrived at Martha's Vineyard on Wednesday night. The two planes, which originated in San Antonio, Texas, were paid for by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R). He responded, saying, "We are not a sanctuary state, and it's better to be able to go to a sanctuary jurisdiction, and yes, we will help facilitate that transport for you to be able to go to greener pastures," reports CNN.
The group arrived with no warning, which caused confusion and some scrambling by locals to accommodate the newcomers. Massachusetts state Sen. Julian Cyr (D), who represents Martha's Vineyard, said that officials and volunteers "really moved heaven and Earth to essentially set up the response that we would do in the event of a hurricane." The migrants received COVID-19 tests, food, and clothing, The New York Times reports.
This is not the first time migrants have been transferred to blue state locations. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) has spent $12 million to bus migrants to New York, Chicago, and Washington, D.C., "to rattle the Biden administration" for what he views as a failure of the administration to secure the border.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Many Democrats have denounced the actions of DeSantis and Abbott, including Florida Democratic Party Chair Manny Diaz, who said, "Even for Ron DeSantis, this is a new low."
"It's pretty disgusting to see that politicians are capitalizing on the difficult circumstances these families are in for a 'gotcha' moment and political stunt," Cyr remarked.
The island is currently focused on supporting the migrants who arrived.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Devika Rao has worked as a staff writer at The Week since 2022, covering science, the environment, climate and business. She previously worked as a policy associate for a nonprofit organization advocating for environmental action from a business perspective.
-
Why does Trump keep interfering in the NYC mayoral race?
Today's Big Question The president has seemingly taken an outsized interest in his hometown elections, but are his efforts to block Zohran Mamdani about political expediency or something deeper?
-
The pros and cons of banning cellphones in classrooms
Pros and cons The devices could be major distractions
-
Art review: Lorna Simpson: Source Notes
Feature Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York City, through Nov. 2
-
House posts lewd Epstein note attributed to Trump
Speed Read The estate of Jeffrey Epstein turned over the infamous 2003 birthday note from President Donald Trump
-
Supreme Court allows 'roving' race-tied ICE raids
Speed Read The court paused a federal judge's order barring agents from detaining suspected undocumented immigrants in LA based on race
-
South Korea to fetch workers detained in Georgia raid
Speed Read More than 300 South Korean workers detained in an immigration raid at a Hyundai plant will be released
-
DC sues Trump to end Guard 'occupation'
Speed Read D.C. Attorney General Brian Schwalb argues that the unsolicited military presence violates the law
-
RFK Jr. faces bipartisan heat in Senate hearing
Speed Read The health secretary defended his leadership amid CDC turmoil and deflected questions about the restricted availability of vaccines
-
White House defends boat strike as legal doubts mount
Speed Read Experts say there was no legal justification for killing 11 alleged drug-traffickers
-
Florida wages crosswalk war on public displays of pride
IN THE SPOTLIGHT Gov. Ron DeSantis' campaign comes for colorful crosswalks, as Florida residents engage in guerrilla graffiti as a form of resistance
-
Epstein accusers urge full file release, hint at own list
speed read A rally was organized by Reps. Ro Khanna and Thomas Massie, who are hoping to force a vote on their Epstein Files Transparency Act