Florida officials pushed back against criticisms levied against the state's program to relocate processed and released migrants at the border to Martha's Vineyard by pointing out many in the group were homeless with nowhere to go prior to accepting the flight.
"The majority, if not all of the individuals that originated in Texas and ended up on the flights to Martha's Vineyard, were indeed homeless, hungry, sleeping outside in parking lots. Many had been in a shelter at some point previously and had been kicked out, did not have a place to go and essentially were wandering homeless at the border," a Florida official said in a background call with reporters on Monday.
Migrants who accepted the flight to Martha's Vineyard were provided with shelter for a day or two, meals, and showers prior to departure.
"They were given every opportunity over a multiple day period to decide they didn't want to go on the trip and go a different direction. Indeed, some of these individuals after a night or two of accommodations chose to stay behind and not go on the trip," the official stressed, noting those on the flight were given bags with food and water.
The official added at "no specific time" was anybody promised of getting a specific job. The official said the program informed the migrants where they would be taken and the resources available to them in the state of Massachusetts.
BREAKING: Florida's Voice has confirmed with Ron DeSantis' office the below brochure was given to migrants who were voluntarily flown to Martha's Vineyard
— Florida’s Voice (@FLVoiceNews) September 19, 2022
The brochure contains information directly from the Massachusetts government website pic.twitter.com/IPRO4UD4ad
Democrats and progressives have accused Florida Governor Ron DeSantis (R) of "human trafficking" or "kidnapping" the migrants for a political stunt.
Border towns are having a hard time getting up with the continued influx of illegal border crossers as shelters are often at capacity. Texas Governor Greg Abbott (R) started the busing of migrants to sanctuary cities in an effort to relieve pressure from the much smaller border towns.
Update:
The Bexar County Sheriff’s Office announced an investigation into the flights as they say the migrants were "lured from the Migrant Resource Center" and "were ultimately left to fend for themselves in Martha’s Vineyard, MA."
"Immigrants are more than willing to leave Bexar County after being enticed to cross the border and ‘to fend for themselves.’ FL provided an opportunity in a sanctuary state w/ resources, as expected - unlike the 53 who died in an abandoned truck in Bexar County in June," DeSantis' Communication Director Taryn Fenske said in a statement.