Worker shortage crisis belies DeSantis' defense of 'trafficking' migrants to Martha's Vineyard

DORAL — A low unemployment rate and chronic scarcity of workers belies Gov. Ron DeSantis' explanation for sending 50 migrants to Martha's Vineyard this week, immigrant and business advocacy groups say.

Gathered in Doral, a Miami-Dade County city that is populated, and largely developed, by Venezuelan and South American immigrants, they blasted DeSantis not just for what they called a "morally repulsive" political stunt but also a policy that hurts the state economy.

"Job creators across this state are currently facing an inflation in prices that has been worsened by an unprecedented labor shortage," said Maria Corina Vegas with the American Business Immigrant Coalition. "Our businesses, particularly in key industries at the core of the Florida economy, such as agriculture and hospitality, are in dire need of new workers."

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The data issued by DeSantis' own administration bears out her claims. For the past year, Florida businesses have struggled to find workers amid an economic surge after the lifting of pandemic business restrictions two years ago.

On Friday, CareerSource Palm Beach County and the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity said the state's unemployment rate for August stood at a rock-bottom 2.8%. Palm Beach County's jobless rate was 2.9%. Those figures were unchanged from July.

“Palm Beach County’s job market continues to show strong growth with hiring increasing for the upcoming tourism season,” said Julia Dattolo, President and CEO of CareerSource Palm Beach County, in a statement.

And, for more than a year, there have been way more job openings than unemployed people in the county. For August, there were 39,581 job openings versus 22,020 people looking for work.

"Rather than focusing on the issues that Florida-based businesses are presently facing, Gov. DeSantis chooses to traumatize immigrant families knowing full well they would make our economy, businesses and economy stronger," said Vegas, a Venezuelan immigrant herself. It has been reported that the majority of migrants sent to Massachusetts were from Venezuela.

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She added: "Look around you here in Doral. Where would this city be if not for the blood, sweat and tears of the Venezuelan immigrants?"

DeSantis defended his decision to airlift the immigrant families from Texas to Massachusetts to resolutely signal Florida would not welcome illegal immigrants. His communications director, Taryn Fenske, said that states like Massachusetts "will better facilitate the care of these individuals who they have invited into our country."

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But immigrant advocates pointed out the state needs workers, and has the resources to successfully assimilate them into the labor force. In fact, DeSantis has often lauded Florida's strong fiscal position, including a $20 billion surplus.

Maria Bilbao of the American Friends Service Committee said the $12 million DeSantis "wasted" on this endeavor could have been better spent on dealing with more important issues, like the cost of housing.

"It is unacceptable that the governor does nothing about rent costs, and yet spends millions of dollars to use immigrant families as political pawns," she said.

Others chastised the governor for what they said was using human beings as "pawns."

Adelys Ferro, executive director of the Venezuelan American Caucus, said no Venezuelan, no Hispanic, no immigrant should ever be used in "political games to gain headlines, to gain political points" in the governor's ambition to be the 2024 Republican presidential nominee.

"Enough of playing with human beings who have suffered unimaginably to get here," Ferro said. "Enough of playing with their pain, their hope, and with their fear."

Yaneth Galvis of the Florida Immigrant Coalition, said she knows, as the daughter of Nicaraguan immigrants, why Venezuelans are desperately fleeing to America.

"Venezuelan immigrants are fleeing a brutal regime and then they find themselves at the mercy of another man that is hungry for power, that is full of hate," she said of DeSantis. "He is taking advantage of immigrants who do not how to navigate the [asylum] system."

Antonio Fins is a politics and business editor at the Palm Beach Daily News, part of the USA TODAY Florida Network. You can reach him at afins@pbpost.com. Help support our journalism. Subscribe today.

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: DeSantis sent migrants to Martha's Vineyard, hurting state economy, groups say