Array
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis slammed Democrats and the “sanctuary jurisdictions” they run for going “berserk” over his move to ship dozens of migrants out of his state to Martha’s Vineyard — and accused them of engaging in phony “virtue signaling.”
On Wednesday, the Republican chartered planes to transport more than 50 migrants, most of whom are from Venezuela, to the wealthy summer enclave in Massachusetts where former President Barack Obama has an $11.75 million home.
Democrats were quick to take aim at DeSantis for what they described as a “humanitarian crisis” over just 50 migrants showing up in the liberal playground, including California Gov. Gavin Newsom, who asked the US Department of Justice to consider kidnapping charges against the Florida governor’s administration stemming from the relocation of migrants to “blue” states.
In a speech on Thursday, a defiant DeSantis admitted that sending migrants to Democrat-controlled “sanctuary” cities and states was meant to taunt local leaders and stoke opposition to President Biden’s lax border policies.
“If you have folks who are inclined to think Florida is a good place (to live), our message to them is we are not a sanctuary state, and it’s better to be able to go to a sanctuary jurisdiction,” DeSantis told a crowd of supporters. “And yes, we will help facilitate that transport for you to be able to go to greener pastures.”
DeSantis accused pro-immigration politicians of hypocrisy for voicing opposition to the arrival of migrants in their states, even as border towns in Arizona and Texas are being inundated with foreign nationals pouring into those states from Mexico.
“The minute even a small fraction of what those border towns deal with every day is brought to their front door, they go berserk, and they’re so upset that this is happening,” he said. “And it just shows you that their virtue-signaling is a fraud.”
He added: “Now, what would be best is for Biden to do his damn job and secure the border.
