Are The Migrant Stunts Backfiring?

Ron DeSantis has a new tool in his arsenal of authoritarian tactics: human trafficking. Earlier this month, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis tried to make a point about how “blue” states like Massachusetts (who currently has a Republican governor) talk a big game about helping migrants but they actually hate migrants as much as Republicans do. To do this, he orchestrated sending people from Texas to Martha’s Vineyard in Massachusetts. Very bizarre, super cruel, and possibly illegal.

Unfortunately for Ron’s whiny voice, the wealthy liberals of Martha’s Vineyard stepped up to the task and assisted the asylum seekers illegally transported to MA. The migrants –most of whom were from Venezuela– had arrived in search of asylum, which is legal under international law. We’re still learning details but these refugees were lied to essentially by recruiters in Texas who claimed that Massachusetts was ready to roll out the red carpet. In reality, Florida was practically smuggling them into the state without alerting any other state agency.

Here’s how the Tampa Bay Times describes the political circumstances that surround this egregious disregard for human decency: “The flights were billed as part of a new program to ‘remove’ illegal immigrants from Florida, one created by lawmakers supporting DeSantis’ hard-line stance on immigration. DeSantis, who is running for reelection and is widely considered a potential Republican front-runner for the 2024 presidential race, has claimed the program is necessary to fight back against the ‘Biden border crisis.’”

But what’s DeSantis’ long-term plan for immigration? Oh even he doesn’t know.

Roy Wood Jr. is a comedian, actor, producer, podcaster, and correspondent for The Daily Show. His new film is Confess, Fletch! is out now. Follow Roy on Twitter

📸 Credit RAY EWING/VINEYARD GAZETTE | AP

Recorded September 20th, 2022

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