Here's what we know about DeSantis and hhe political stunt that blew up in his face:
1) The migrants were here LEGALLY - they were seeking asylum, had been vetted by DHS, were released pending a final asylum hearing, and were living in a shelter. They were lured to board the planes with false promises of where they were going and what was waiting for them. They were told they were going to Boston and given a pamphlet describing what would be waiting for them.
http://popular.info/p/the-smoking-gun-in-marthas-vineyard
The program promised to them in the pamphlet, which would give them money, a job, and a place to live, does not exist. When they arrived at Martha's Vineyard, they were given maps of the area with instructions on where to go. Those instructions led to an empty parking lot,
DeSantis was sure the people on MV would be horrified; instead, they met them with open arms, providing food and shelter; the governor of MA, a Republican, stepped in and arranged for them to voluntarily be ferried to a National Guard base on Cape Cod where there was more room and more services available to them. Despite what the right-wing media would have you believe, they were not thrown out of, evicted from, or deported from MV.
2. The sheriff of Bexar County TX has opened a criminal investigation into the incident. In the video of his announcement, he was visibly angry about he fact that someone would come into his state and remove migrants who were there legally.
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/immigration/article266044016.html
3. DeSantis admitted that he went to Texas because he couldn't find mass migration into FL. My personal opinion was that he was jealous about what TX and AZ were doing by busing migrants north, and thought the stunt would make him look strong on immigration. Instead, what he got was a glitter bomb that exploded in his face, and he still can;t get all the glitter off himself.
http://www.newsweek.com/desantis-couldnt-find-mass-migration-florida-texas-1744756
What remains unanswered so far is whether DeSantis will be held accountable for misappropriating public funds intended to address immigrants illegally residing in his own state, and whether he or anyone else involved in this hare-brained scheme will face criminal charges for kidnapping the migrants. For the record, it is not against the law to fly migrants around the country; it IS against the law to lie to them about where you're taking them.
And this idiot wants to be POTUS. God help us. |
