Lawyers for 30 migrants flown to Martha’s Vineyard by Ron DeSantis demand CRIMINAL investigation

Lawyers representing 30 of 48 Venezuelan asylum seekers who were removed from Texas to Martha’s vineyard from st Massachusetts are going to open a criminal case, claiming that the victims were “inclined to board the plane and cross the state border under false pretenses.”

Lawyers for Civil Rights (LCR), a Boston-based group that represents asylum seekers pro bono, says the group, which includes women and young children, was duped in a coordinated political stunt to target vulnerable people based on their race and country of origin .

“Many false promises have been made by individuals working with government officials, including the governor of Florida [to the migrants] – including opportunities for work, education for children and immigration assistance – to encourage them to travel,” the lawyers say.

Lawyers are now calling on U.S. Attorney Rachel Rollins and Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healy to open criminal investigations into those behind the group’s transportation.

“We firmly believe that the perpetrators of this stunt violated criminal law,” LCR wrote in the letter.

DeSantis sent two planes carrying 50 migrants to the wealthy island on Thursday and is now threatening to send more to Delaware — under Texas Gov. Greg Abbott’s “plan”

Lawyers for Civil Rights (LCR), a Boston-based group that represents asylum seekers pro bono, says the group, which includes women and young children, was duped in a coordinated political stunt to target vulnerable people based on their race and country of origin

“This cowardly political move has put our customers at risk. Upon arrival, many people were rushed to the hospital where they needed medical attention. Some now have immigration hearings thousands of miles away on Monday,” the attorneys added in a statement.

“They took advantage of the vulnerability of our clients, many of whom had experienced deep trauma in their home countries and while traveling to the United States, and used that vulnerability to gain trust through false promises,” the report added.

Once they were on their way, the migrants were told that their destination was Martha’s Vineyard, not the city of Boston.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said the migrants knew exactly where they were going, having previously signed waivers.

The migrants have since been transferred to Joint Base Cape Cod on the mainland.

The 50 migrants who arrived in Martha’s Vineyard have now been moved 32 miles away to a military base on Cape Cod

Late last week, the immigrants were staying at St. Andrews Episcopal Church in Martha’s Vineyard. Some refugees played football in front of the church today. Some left the church with new clothes and sneakers

Joint-use base JBCC, where the migrants are currently being transported, is home to five military commands training for missions at home and abroad and has been used as a hospital during the COVID-19 pandemic

DeSantis may still feel some political fallout from Florida having the largest contingent of Venezuelans in the U.S.

Local community leaders accused the governor of trying to score political points.

Sending the migrants to Martha’s Vineyard is one of a series of moves in recent months by Republican governors of southern border states, many of whom have bussed thousands of migrants to Washington, New York and Chicago.

DeSantis may still feel some political fallout from Florida having the largest contingent of Venezuelans in the U.S.

Texas Governor Greg Abbott Sends 11,000 Migrants to Sanctuary Cities and States including 8,000 to DC and 2,500 to New York.

At least 600 migrants from Texas have also been transported to Chicago since late August.

Arizona Governor Doug Ducey similarly moved nearly 2,000 migrants to the District of Columbia.

Much of the intent is to highlight the Biden administration’s ineffective handling of the immigration crisis, especially ahead of November’s midterm elections, when immigration will be a key issue for voters.

On Saturday, about 50 migrants were brought by buses from Texas and dropped off near the home of Vice President Kamala Harris.

White House press secretary Karin Jean-Pierre said at a briefing on Friday that Abbott and DeSantis used migrants “as political pawns, treating them like property.”

Democrats say the strategy only causes additional stress for migrants, who often seek to reunite with relatives already in the country while they await their own immigration hearings.

The White House has condemned the efforts of Republican governors, saying the migrants, mostly from Venezuela, are being used as a political stunt.

“These were children. They were moms. They were fleeing communism. And what did Governor DeSantis and Governor Abbott do with them? They used them as political pawns, they treated them like property,” White House press secretary Karin Jean-Pierre said at a briefing on Friday.

She said: “It’s an inhumane problem, it’s disgusting, and we shouldn’t use people, migrants fleeing communism, as political pawns.”