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.

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GOP Immigration Ron DeSantis

Charlie Crist Brings The Receipts: DeSantis Paid Over $12,000 In Taxpayer Money To Smuggle Each Migrant

Florida GOP Gov. Ron DeSantis thought he had the perfect photo op that would bolster his campaign with less than two months left before the midterm elections.

DeSantis paid to fly 50 Venezuelan immigrants from Texas to Martha’s Vineyard in Massachusetts, and in doing so he may well have violated federal kidnapping and human trafficking laws.

But of particular interest to voters in the Sunshine State is just how much taxpayer money DeSantis spent for his stunt. As it turns out, his Democratic opponent, Charlie Crist, did a bit of research and found out that the cost was $12,300 per person to ship the migrants from Texas to Martha’s Vineyard, and Crist even brought the receipts, which he shared on Twitter.

DeSantis shelled out over $600,000 at a time when the state is having trouble attracting enough teachers for its schools due to low pay and bad working conditions. The money also could have been spent on health care for children, new buses to transport kids to school, and raises for the lowest paid teachers in Florida.

There’s also the legal issue of what DeSantis did, which could prove to be a huge distraction and embarrassment at he seeks a second term in office as a springboard to a presidential run in 2024.

California Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom said Thursday he is urging the Justice Department to investigate and charge DeSantis with kidnapping.

Additionally, Florida Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried said Thursday she wants the DOJ to determine if DeSantis violated human trafficking laws or violated the migrants’ civil rights.

The Florida gubernatorial election is now a mere seven weeks away, and Ron DeSantis may have just cost himself re-election all for a stunt to get media attention. Clearly, he’s just as stupid as his former BFF, Donald Trump.

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Immigration Ron DeSantis

Ron DeSantis May Be Charged With Kidnapping For Shipping Migrants To Other States

In his effort to make a political statement and draw attention to himself in his bid for re-election, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) decided he’d put some migrants on a plane and send them to Martha’s Vineyard.

CNN reports on the move by DeSantis:

It’s the latest in a series of moves by Republican governors to transport migrants to northern liberal enclaves to protest what they say are inadequate federal efforts on southern border security. Located off the coast of Massachusetts and long known as a posh summer destination for wealthy vacationers, Martha’s Vineyard provided an unusual and unexpected place for the migrants to be sent.

DeSantis defended his action:

“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.”

But while the Florida governor may have gotten himself a day’s worth of free media coverage, he may also be guilty of kidnapping, according to California Gov. Gavin Newsom, who is urging the Justice Department to charge DeSantis with the crime.

In a letter he sent to the DOJ on Thursday, Newsom writes:

“Like millions of Americans, I have been horrified at the images of migrants being shipped on buses and planes across the country to be used as political props. Clearly, transporting families, including children, across state lines under false pretenses is morally reprehensible, but it may also be illegal.

“Several of the individuals who were transported to Martha’s Vineyard have alleged that a recruiter induced them to accept the offer of travel based on false representations that they would be transported to Boston and would receive expedited access to work authorization. The interstate travel at issue provides a basis for federal jurisdiction over this matter.”

And then Newsom cites the specific provision of federal law he believes DeSantis is in violation of:

“I strongly urge the U.S. Department of Justice (US DOJ) to open an investigation into possible criminal or civil violations of federal law based on this alleged fraudulent scheme. In particular, I urge US DOJ to investigate whether the alleged fraudulent inducement would support charges of kidnapping under relevant state laws, which could serve as a predicate offense for charges under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organization (RICO) provisions of the Organized Crime Control Act of 1970.”