Lawyers representing 30 of the 48 Venezuelan asylum seekers flown from Texas to Massachusetts’ Martha’s Vineyard want to open a criminal investigation, claiming the victims “were tricked into boarding planes and crossing state lines under false pretenses.”
The Boston-based group Lawyers for Civil Rights (LCR), which represents asylum seekers on a volunteer basis, says the group, which includes women and young children, was duped into a coordinated political stunt targeting vulnerable people because of their race and of their country of origin.
“In cooperation with state officials, including the Florida governor, numerous false promises were made by individuals [to the migrants] — including job opportunities, schooling for their children, and immigration assistance — to encourage them to travel,” the lawyers explain.
Lawyers are now urging US Attorney Rachael Rollins and Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey to launch criminal investigations into those behind the transport.
“We firmly believe that the perpetrators of this stunt violated criminal statutes,” LCR wrote in a letter.
Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker made the decision to relocate the illegal immigrants just 48 hours after they landed in the billionaire’s enclave, rattling some residents
DeSantis on Thursday sent two planes carrying 50 migrants to the wealthy island and is now threatening to send more to Delaware — following Texas Gov. Greg Abbott’s “blueprint.”
The Boston-based group Lawyers for Civil Rights (LCR), which represents asylum seekers on a volunteer basis, says the group, which includes women and young children, was duped into a coordinated political stunt targeting vulnerable people because of their race and of their country of origin
“This cowardly political ploy has put our customers at risk. Upon arrival scores of people had to be taken to hospital for medical attention. Some now have immigration hearings thousands of miles away as early as Monday,” the lawyers added in a statement.
“They took advantage of the vulnerability of our customers — many of whom had suffered deep trauma in their home countries and during their travels to the United States — and exploited that vulnerability to gain trust through false promises,” she added.
The migrants were only told after they were on their way that their destination was Martha’s Vineyard and not the city of Boston.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said the migrants knew exactly where they were going because they previously signed a waiver.
The migrants have since been relocated to Joint Base Cape Cod on the mainland.
The 50 migrants who arrived in Martha’s Vineyard have now been taken 32 miles away to a military base in Cape Cod
Immigrants were staying at St Andrews Episcopal Church in Martha’s Vineyard late last week. Some refugees played soccer in front of the church today. Some left the church with new clothes and sneakers
The JBCC joint base, where the migrants are now being taken, houses five military commandos who are being trained for missions at home and abroad and has been used as a hospital during the COVID-19 pandemic
DeSantis could still feel some political fallout from the episode as Florida is home to the largest contingent of Venezuelans in the US
Local community leaders have accused the governor of trying to score political points.
Sending migrants to Martha’s Vineyard is one of several actions implemented in recent months by Republican governors of leading southern border states, many of whom have bused thousands of migrants into Washington DC, New York and Chicago.
DeSantis could still feel some political fallout from the episode as Florida is home to the largest contingent of Venezuelans in the US
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has sent 11,000 migrants to shelter cities and states, including 8,000 to DC and 2,500 to New York City.
At least 600 migrants from Texas have also been transported to Chicago since late August.
Similarly, Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey has brought nearly 2,000 migrants to DC
Much of the intent is to highlight the Biden administration’s ineffective hold on the immigration crisis, especially ahead of the November midterm elections, where immigration will be a key issue that will weigh on voters.
Around 50 migrants were busted from Texas in front of Vice President Kamala Harris’ home on Saturday.
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said at a Friday news conference that Abbott and DeSantis used migrants “as political pawns and treated them like chattels.”
Democrats say the strategy only creates added stress for the migrants, who often try to reunite with relatives already in the country while awaiting their own immigration hearings.
The White House has condemned the Republican governors’ efforts, saying the migrants, mostly from Venezuela, are being used in a political stunt.
“They were children. They were mothers. They fled Communism. And what did Governor DeSantis and Governor Abbott do to them? They used them as political pawns, treated them like chattels,” White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said at a news conference Friday.
She said: “This is an inhumane and abominable problem and we should not use people, migrants, fleeing communism as a political pawn.”