Category: Immigration

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Elections GOP Immigration WTF?!

Sickening GOP Fundraising Email Asks: ‘Where Do You Want Republicans To Send Illegal Immigrants Next?’

Now that the Republican Party has made it clear they will do absolutely anything — including putting innocent people in harm’s way — for publicity and free media coverage, they’re now trying to raise money off their disgusting actions that endanger the lives of people who simply want to live in freedom and peace.

The GOP just sent out a fundraising email to supporters in which they not only beg for contributions, but also implore those who do contribute to tell answer a question: Where do you want us to send illegal immigrants next now that Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL) has shipped almost 50 of them to Martha’s Vineyard.

Business Insider notes:

A baked-in poll, which may not collect any data but definitely accepts donations, asks MAGA fans to choose which Democratic enclave to disrupt next: former President Barack Obama’s house, the White House, San Francisco, or some other location. The Martha’s Vineyard incident has sparked mounting lawsuits against DeSantis as well as a wave of calls for Attorney General Merrick Garland to investigate potential criminal violations. 

Even though he has been indirectly critical of Sen. Rick Scott (R-FL), who chairs the National Republican Senatorial Committee, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) revealed that he supported sending immigrants to Democratic locations, telling reporters. “I personally thought it was a good idea.”

But there were plenty of others who don’t think it’s a good idea, and harshly criticized the fundraising email.

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GOP Immigration Ron DeSantis

Migrants Flown To Massachusetts File Class Action Lawsuit Against DeSantis – Allege ‘False Imprisonment’

Now that Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) has almost succeeded in his own version of political self-immolation with his ignorant stunt that sent nearly 50 migrants from Texas to Martha’s Vineyard in Massachusetts, we get news that the people who were treated like human guinea pigs have filed a class action against the governor.

The lawsuit accuses DeSantis and others who participated in the scheme of concocting and carrying out a conspiracy to falsely imprison them for his own advancement.

The civil lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court of Massachusetts Tuesday and it names DeSantis and Jared Perdue, head of the Florida Department of Transportation, as defendants.

These immigrants, who are pursuing the proper channels for lawful immigration status in the United States, experienced cruelty akin to what they fled in their home country. Defendants manipulated them, stripped them of their dignity, deprived them of their liberty, bodily autonomy, due process, and equal protection under law, and impermissibly interfered with the Federal Government’s exclusive control over immigration in furtherance of an unlawful goal and a personal political agenda.”

The 35-page filing includes other accusations, charging that DeSantis and the other defendants engaged “false imprisonment” of each migrant and inflicted “emotional distress” on them:

The Plaintiffs had relied on the Defendants’ promises of support and social services—basic human needs of which, as recent immigrants, they were in particularly desperate need.

When they became aware that they were transported thousands of miles away from Texas, where they need to continue with their federal immigration proceedings, without any of the support from the Defendants, they became emotionally traumatized.

[…]

Defendants negligently inflicted emotional distress on the individual Plaintiffs through their actions described throughout this complaint. This negligent infliction of emotional distress caused the Plaintiffs dignitary harms and physical manifestations of harm requiring mental health counseling and support.

The plaintiffs are seeking compensatory and punitive damages, along with attorneys fees and court costs.

DeSantis also got other bad legal news, this time from Texas, where a sheriff is also investigating the governor for his actions:

A Texas sheriff said Monday he has opened a criminal investigation of two chartered flights that transported 48 migrants from San Antonio to Martha’s Vineyard last week.

Bexar County Sheriff Javier Salazar said Monday that his office is looking into the matter to determine if any laws were broken.

Clearly, DeSantis didn’t think through all of the possible repercussions of his actions before he paid to put those migrants on an airplane. That alone suggests the governor needs to be defeated in November and rejected if and when he decides to seek the GOP nomination two years from now.

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Immigration Joe Biden Ron DeSantis

Biden Has The Perfect Response When Asked About DeSantis Possibly Sending Migrants To Delaware

Now that Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has proven there is no disgusting stunt he won’t try in order to get media attention and boost his chances of re-election (along with his bid for the White House in 2024), there are reports that he may be planning to transport more migrants, this time to President Joe Biden’s home state of Delaware.

The Independent reports:

The White House is coordinating with state officials and aid groups preparing for the potential arrival of a plane with migrants sent from Texas to coastal Delaware near the beach home of President Joe Biden.

The flight, due to arrive on Tuesday afternoon, could mark the second flight within a week organised by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis’s administration to move people seeking asylum in San Antonio to northeastern towns.

“We are coordinating closely with state officials and local service providers who are prepared to welcome these families in an orderly manner as they pursue their asylum claims,” White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters.

That led to this exchange today during a press opportunity in the Roosevelt Room where Biden was making remarks on the DISCLOSE Act:

Q On the border, why is the border more overwhelmed under your watch, Mr. President?

THE PRESIDENT: Because there are three countries that are — never have — there are fewer — fewer immigrants coming from Central America and from Mexico. This is a totally different circumstance.

What’s on my watch now is Venezuela, Cuba, and Nicaragua. And the ability to send them back to those states is not rational. You could send them back and have them — we’re working with Mexico and other countries to see if we can stop the flow. But that’s the difference.

Thank you.

But there was one more shouted question as the president began to leave the room:

Q What more can your administration be doing, Mr. President?

Q Ron DeSantis — it looks like he’s sending migrants to Delaware. Do you have any comment or response to that, sir?

THE PRESIDENT: He should come visit. We have a beautiful shoreline.

Categories
GOP Immigration Ron DeSantis

Texas Sheriff Opens Criminal Investigation Of DeSantis’ Shipping Migrants To Martha’s Vineyard

A Texas sheriff said Monday he has opened a criminal investigation of two chartered flights that transported 48 migrants from San Antonio to Martha’s Vineyard last week.

Bexar County Sheriff Javier Salazar said Monday that his office is looking into the matter to determine if any laws were broken:

“We are opening up a case. The facts of the case at this point are that on Wednesday, Sept. 14 here in Bexar County in the city of San Antonio, our understanding is that a Venezuelan migrant was paid what we could call a bird dog fee to recruit approximately 50 migrants.”

Salazar noted that the migrants had been “lured” under “false pretenses,” put on two planes, flown to Florida, and then taken to Massachusetts:

The sheriff also revealed that he had spoken with an attorney representing the migrants, and even though he refused to name who might be “suspects” in the case, he did make it clear who he believed was responsible:

“It is way too early for me to start naming any suspects. We do have the names of some suspects involved that we believe are persons of interest in this case at this point. But I won’t be parting with those names. I think, to be fair, I think everybody on this call knows who those names are already, so I won’t be naming any of them. But suffice it to say, we will be opening up a case.”

DeSantis has defended his actions, even though his publicity stunt cost Florida taxpayers $615,000, which is $12,300 for each person to be transported from Texas to Martha’s Vineyard.

The Florida governor, who is believed to be setting the stage for a presidential run in 2024, had this to say about arranging the flight and transporting the migrants:

“We are not a sanctuary state, and it’s better to be able to go to a sanctuary jurisdiction, and yes, we will help facilitate that transport for you to be able to go to greener pastures. Every community in America should be sharing in the burdens. It shouldn’t all fall on a handful of red states.”

The U.S. Department of Justice is also being urged to investigate and determine if DeSantis violated federal laws against kidnapping and human trafficking.

Categories
Donald Trump Immigration Ron DeSantis

Trump Angry DeSantis Stole His Migrant Relocation Plan And Is Demanding ‘Credit’ For Martha’s Vineyard Stunt

Disgraced, one-term, twice-impeached former president Donald Trump is reportedly furious with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) for relocating 50 migrants by plane to Martha’s Vineyard last week, and says he should receive “credit” for the idea, which he claims was his all along.

A report from Rolling Stone notes that Trump thinks DeSantis should pay tribute to him by saying he did indeed get the idea from the ex-president.

Trump has fumed over all the praise DeSantis’ action has been receiving in influential conservative circles lately — such as on right-wing media like Fox News — and has privately accused DeSantis of doing this largely to generate a 2024 polling boost for himself among GOP voters.

[…]

The twice-impeached former president, the sources say, has also vented that DeSantis’ latest stunt was yet another one of “my idea[s]” that the governor allegedly stole from Trump.

And that’s not all he’s angry with DeSantis about, with Trump having “complained” to members of his inner circle that the governor is “attempting to take the national news cycle away from him, and believes the “credit” for Martha’s Vineyard “should be his.”

DeSantis did indeed garner national media attention last week with his stunt, announcing that he had sent the migrants to Massachusetts because “We are not a sanctuary state, and it’s better to be able to go to a sanctuary jurisdiction, and yes, we will help facilitate that transport for you to be able to go to greener pastures.”

But while DeSantis may have been the flavor of the week, his actions could also open him up to charges ranging from kidnapping to human trafficking, and some Democrats are urging the Department of Justice to investigate the matter and determine if the governor should be indicted on federal charges.

As usual, Trump is angry because he’s having to share the spotlight with someone else. One wonders if he’ll be so eager to make headlines if he’s eventually indicted for violating the Espionage Act by illegally keeping classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach.