Massachusetts Lawmaker Demands Investigation into DeSantis for Migrant ‘Kidnapping and Human Trafficking’
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The Massachusetts state lawmaker who represents Martha’s Vineyard demanded an investigation Sunday into Governor Ron DeSantis’ “inhumane” decision to fly 50 migrants to the island.
On Friday, the 50 migrants were relocated from the Massachusetts island to the military base on Cape Cod, where they are being housed in an emergency facility.
“We are requesting that the Department of Justice open an investigation to hold DeSantis & others accountable for these inhumane acts,” state Representative Dylan Fernandes tweeted Sunday. “Not only is it morally criminal, there are legal implications around fraud, kidnapping, deprivation of liberty, and human trafficking.”
He said he spoke with U.S. Attorney for Massachusetts Rachel Rollins, urging her to pressure the Department of Justice to launch an investigation.
Up to 125 members of the Massachusetts National Guard have been deployed by Republican Governor Charlie Baker to assist with the situation. Buses picked up the group of Venezuelans from Edgartown roughly 24 hours after they flew in from San Antonio, Texas at the direction of DeSantis.
Rubber-stamped by the Florida legislature in a prior funding package, the flights were part of an effort to transport illegal aliens to sanctuary cities, many of which have pledged housing, childcare, cash assistance, and even healthcare for illegal immigrants. Sanctuary cities at minimum promise not to alert Immigration and Customs Enforcement to the presence of illegal aliens. While Martha’s Vineyard is designated as a one such safe haven, local officials claimed they had insufficient capacity to manage the needs of 50 people.
Fernandes, whose district includes part of Martha’s Vineyard, called DeSantis’s actions “f***ing depraved” days prior on Twitter.
“The Governor of one of the biggest states in the nation has been spending time hatching a secret plot to round up & ship people-children, families-lying to them about where theyre going just to gain cheap political points on Tucker Calrson [sic] and MAGA twitter. It’s f***ing depraved,” he said.
Also over the weekend, Lawyers for Civil Rights, which is offering legal services to about 30 of the migrants, pleaded with Rollins and Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey to investigate the transportation of migrants.
“Individuals, working in concert with the Florida Governor, made numerous false promises to our clients, including of work opportunities, schooling for their children, and immigration assistance, in order to induce them to travel,” they wrote in a letter.
On Thursday, the affluent colony’s Chamber of Commerce declared a “humanitarian crisis” as it scrambled to set up accommodations and food supply for the migrants, who only remained on the island for a day before being removed to the mainland.
