• Florida Governor Ron DeSantis sent planeloads of migrants to Martha’s Vineyard. 
• It was intended to shift the burden of migration to a rich, liberal area. 
• Locals at the exclusive destination, where Barrack Obama owns property, rallied to help. 

Florida Governor Ron Desantis took credit for sending planeloads of migrants to Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts, part of an apparent bid to force authorities in another state to take responsibility for them. 

Massachusetts state Senator Julian Cyr told The New York Times that around 50 migrants arrived in two planes at around 3 p.m. local time, with no advance warning. 

Fox News Digital, which first reported the story, showed a video of migrants disembarking planes at the resort and getting into a van.

—Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) September 14, 2022

“Yes, Florida can confirm the two planes with illegal immigrants that arrived in Martha’s Vineyard today were part of the state’s relocation program to transport illegal immigrants to sanctuary destinations,” Taryn Fenske, communications director for Governor Ron DeSantis, told the outlet.

—Dylan Fernandes (@RepDylan) September 15, 2022

State Rep. Dylan Fernandes on Twitter said the community rallied to help the migrants, putting them up in a local church. 

“Our island jumped into action putting together 50 beds, giving everyone a good meal, providing a play area for the children, making sure people have the healthcare and support they need. We are a community that comes together to support immigrants,” he wrote on Twitter.

He also shared photos of the makeshift accommodation.

Cyr, speaking to the Martha’s Vineyard Times, criticized the move as a cruel political stunt. On Twitter, he said the migrants had arrived on a charter flight from Texas, and appeared to be mostly from Venezuela. 

“This is deeply disgusting. This is a cruel ruse that manipulates families that are seeking a better life,” he said, describing them as “fundamentally racist tactics.”

In recent weeks, the Republican-led states of Texas and Arizona have sent thousands of undocumented migrants to Democratic-led areas including New York, Chicago, and Washington, D.C.

They say that President Joe Biden’s policies are behind a rise in undocumented migration, and that Democratic-led cities should bear the responsibility for them. Some of the areas migrants have been sent to voted to become “sanctuary cities”, where authorities deliberately do not cooperate with efforts to enforce migration laws.

DeSantis is burnishing his anti-migration credentials amid rumors he is positioning himself for a bid for the presidency in 2024. 

Martha’s Vineyard is an agricultural area and exclusive vacation destination, where former Democratic President Barack Obama and Bill and Hillary Clinton frequently spend time. In off-season, it has around 20,000 residents, and locals told The Times that there were concerns about the town’s long term ability to host the migrants. 

Christina Pushaw, a spokesperson for DeSantis, used the stunt to troll liberals. 

“Martha’s Vineyard residents should be thrilled about this. They vote for sanctuary cities — they get a sanctuary city of their own. And illegal aliens will increase the town’s diversity, which is strength. Right?” she tweeted.