Florida: Ron DeSantis Vows to Use ‘Every Penny’ of $12 Million Budget to Transport Migrants to Other States

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis may be getting a lot of pushback from his political stunt to bus migrants to Martha's Vineyard in Massachusetts, but it seems that he is doubling down on the busing efforts. At a press conference on Friday, DeSantis stated that he will use "every penny" of the $12 million his state has allocated to relocate migrants.

The governor is defending his use of taxpayer money to send 50 migrants from Texas to the affluent neighborhood of Martha's Vineyard. He argued that many who cross the border eventually end up in Florida.

He also added that they have now hired their own contractor to coordinate the state's relocation efforts in Texas, and teased that he "may collaborate" with Texas Governor Greg Abbott.

During the press conference, the controversial governor also stated that he would send the migrants back to Mexico or their home country if he could. CNN pointed out that the majority of the migrants sent to Martha's Vineyard were Venezuelans.

Immigrants Sent to Martha's Vineyard Say They Were Lied To

Gov. Ron DeSantis flew migrants to the affluent neighborhood of Martha's Vineyard expecting its residents to be annoyed that immigrants were flown into their island. However, the residents instead gave the 50 migrants, some of whom were children, food, clothing, and shelter inside a local church.

According to News Nation, more help for these migrants came after DeSantis sent them to the island. These came in the form of volunteer lawyers who are now working to understand the legal situation that these migrants are facing.

It turned out that these migrants were lied to as they were used by DeSantis as props for his political stunt. Migrants who spoke to the residents of Martha's Vineyard and volunteer attorneys said that they agreed to be flown to Massachusetts because they were promised jobs.

The attorneys revealed that these migrants have also been given falsified U.S. addresses by immigration officials. This is perhaps to ensure that they would be deemed to have entered the country illegally.

Rachel Self, a Boston immigration attorney working with the Martha's Vineyard migrants, spoke to the Tampa Bay Times and stated that officials told the migrants that there was a "surprise present" waiting for them in Massachusetts. They were also told that waiting for them would be jobs and housing. Self called those promises a "sadistic lie."

The help given by residents and volunteers to the migrants was in stark contrast to the treatment they received on the way to Martha's Vineyard, The lawyers and residents alleged that these people endured "layers of deception" which led them to agree to be bused to the area.

Self added that the migrants were "intentionally used to create chaos and crisis, as no government agency or humanitarian organization was alerted about the group's arrival in Martha's Vineyard."

Martha's Vineyard Immigrants Were Basically Kidnapped Says Lawyer

Department of Homeland Security agents allegedly falsified documents for these migrants' immigration paperwork and said that they could change the details upon arrival in Massachusetts. Self stated that the DHS agents chose random homeless shelters all across the country from Washington to Florida to list as the migrants' mailing addresses.

Now, these migrants are being asked to appear in the jurisdictions near these listed homeless shelters. She added that they were essentially "kidnapped."

She called the action shameful and inhuman, stating that the migrants were "deprived of medical care despite clear existing injuries." The lawyer added that they are "human beings who were deprived of basic human rights."

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Rick Martin

WATCH: Attorneys for migrants sent to Martha's Vineyard: 'They were lied to' - Miami Herald