Migrants Sent to Martha’s VIneyard

Migrants to Martha’s Vineyard

By Quinn Melley

48 migrants from Venezuela arrived at the resort island Martha’s Vineyard unannounced on the afternoon of Wednesday, September 22. Republican-led states have been transporting migrants to highly populated liberal cities, like New York and Washington D.C., in an effort to protest federal security on the border and criticize the Biden administration’s immigration policies. Governor Gregg Abbott of Texas and Governor Doug Ducey of Arizona have been participating in this action since April of 2022. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis took this political stunt to the next level. DeSantis authorized two chartered planeloads of undocumented migrants to depart from a San Antonio shelter in Texas. The funding came from a Florida state program to send immigrants to “sanctuary states”, i.e., New York. Florida legislature has designated $12 million for the program, using taxpayer dollars to relocate migrants. The migrants say they were coerced to board the planes by a woman with no other information but the name Perla. These migrants were also given misleading brochures promising jobs and assistance with housing, among other benefits, if they boarded the planes to Boston, Massachusetts. The resettlement benefits outlined in the brochure that are only available to refugees who have already been identified and have formally become residents of the US. These asylum-seeking migrants are legally allowed to stay in the United States while their cases are being reviewed by immigration courts. This process can take years and requires them to check in with Immigration and Customs Enforcement regularly. However, some migrants are thousands of miles away from the city where their check-in is scheduled. A missed appointment can lead to an ordered deportation by the immigration judge. Martha’s Vineyard is a small island community south of Massachusetts, known as a wealthy vacation spot for liberal celebrities and former presidents such as Bill Clinton and Barack Obama. The residents of Martha’s Vineyard were taken by surprise when 48 Venezuelan men, women, and children, showed up at their doorsteps. DeSantis had not arranged any plans to receive the immigrants in Martha’s Vineyard, putting extra pressure on Massachusetts officials to organize aid. The community quickly sprang into action to provide food, temporary housing, and other assistance. The migrants were received at St. Andrews Episcopal Church in Edgartown in Martha’s Vineyard after arriving. The migrants were moved to Joint Base Cape Cod for temporary housing in dormitory style rooms, where families will be kept together. They will have access to legal services, health care, food, and crisis counseling. The next step for these migrants is unknown at the time, but currently they are getting the help and support they