Florida, Texas escalate flights, buses to move migrants

The governors of Texas and Arizona have sent thousands of migrants on buses to New York, Chicago and Washington, D.C., in recent months, but the latest surprise moves - which included two flights to Martha’s Vineyard Wednesday paid for by Florida - were derided by critics as inhumane political theater.

Lawyers for Civil Rights, based in Boston, said it was providing free legal services — and investigating whether Florida’s governor may have violated human trafficking laws if it turns out any migrants were sent against their will or duped into taking the flights. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on Wednesday flew two planes to Martha’s Vineyard in what his office said was part of an effort to “transport illegal immigrants to sanctuary destinations.” The Florida Legislature has earmarked $12 million to transport “unauthorized aliens” out of state.

Massachusetts state Sen. Julian Cyr told The Vineyard Gazette that one plane originated in San Antonio, raising questions about whether migrants ever set foot in Florida. Flight tracking data shows a flight originated in San Antonio, stopped in Crestview, Florida, and Charlotte, North Carolina, before landing in Martha’s Vineyard.Texas Gov. Greg Abbott announced the arrival of two buses of migrants from Texas early Thursday outside Harris’ residence at the United States Naval Observatory.

DeSantis appears to be taking the strategy to a new level by using planes and choosing Martha’s Vineyard, whose harbor towns that are home to about 15,000 people are far less prepared than New York or Washington for large influxes of migrants. U.S. authorities stopped migrants crossing from Mexico about 2 million times from October through July, up nearly 50% from the same period a year earlier. A rule in effect since March 2020 that suspends rights to seek asylum on grounds of preventing the spread of COVID-19 applies to all nationalities in theory but has been largely limited to migrants from Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador because those are the only ones accepted by Mexico.

Law Law Latest News, Law Law Headlines

Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.

Dept of Education opens civil rights probe of Univ of Vermont after antisemitism complaintThe University of Vermont is the subject of an investigation by the Department of Education's Office of Civil Rights after Jewish students made allegations of discrimination.
Source: FoxNews - 🏆 9. / 87 Read more »

Family of man who died after Kankakee County prison transfer to file civil rights lawsuitThe family of Dewayne Tucker will file a civil rights lawsuit after he died following a transfer to Jerome Combs Detention Center in Kankakee County.
Source: ABC7Chicago - 🏆 284. / 63 Read more »

The End of Roe Will Spark a Digital Civil WarWe are on a path to a digital civil war, where blue states and red states create different rules to govern the internet, with conflicting laws on speech and data privacy. dangreaney So it’s easier to scam and cheat- and harder to figure out who’s doing it. Great. Well, the far right in America isn't rational and is also deeply malignant. And sadly they have NO positive agenda of any kind, they seem to be simply out to harm and destroy what they can.
Source: WIRED - 🏆 555. / 51 Read more »