The residents of Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts, didn’t expect the 50 Venezuelan migrants who were flown into the city by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. The local community was ready to help.
“We received food, we received clothes, we received ... different things, so much so that we’ve had to relocate that donation drop-off spot to the fire department,” Edgartown, Massachusetts, town administrator James Hagerty told CNN Wednesday.
This town’s winter population dwindles down to a couple of hundred people, but during the summer months, the island receives several thousand tourists.
But keeping these migrants in Martha’s Vineyard may not be possible.
“The reason Martha’s Vineyard was a bad place to dump people with no notice isn’t because it’s fancy but because it’s nowhere near the services these people need. It doesn’t even have a bridge,” tweeted Max Kennerly, a trial lawyer.
Meanwhile, Rep. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, took to Twitter and said: “The rich, liberal ‘people of Martha’s Vineyard’ DEPORTED THE ILLEGAL ALIENS WITHIN 24 HOURS.”
The people were transported to an emergency shelter at Joint Base Cape Cod in Barnstable County, Massachusetts.
“We are grateful to the providers, volunteers and local officials that stepped up on Martha’s Vineyard over the past few days to provide immediate services to these individuals,” Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker’s office told Politico. “Our administration has been working across state government to develop a plan to ensure these individuals will have access to the services they need going forward.”
These individuals were also misled when first transported to the island.
“They were told, ‘You have a hearing in San Antonio, but don’t worry, we’ll take you to Boston,’” Iván Espinoza-Madrigal, the executive director for Lawyers for Civil Rights Boston, told The New York Times.