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A member of a group of newly arrived immigrants flashes a thumbs up at Martha’s Vineyard on Wednesday, Sept. 14, 2022, in Edgartown, Mass. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis flew two migrant planes to Martha’s Vineyard on Wednesday, escalating a tactic by Republican governors to draw attention to what they say are the Biden administration’s failed border policies. (Ray Ewing/Vineyard Gazette via AP)
Developing… Story will be updated as new information can be confirmed. Updated 4 times
EDGARTON, Mass. – The CEO of Martha’s Vineyard Community Services looked outside to see 48 strangers carrying suitcases, bags and red folders containing brochures for her organization.
Venezuelan refugees who were taken from San Antonio to the wealthy island of Massachusetts by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on Wednesday said they were told they were going to Boston.
DeSantis took from the playbook of Republican Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, a surprisingly Democratic stronghold with high immigrant populations, and providing little or no information.
Elizabeth Folkerelli, who runs Martin’s Vineyard Community Services, said they were told they would have jobs and housing and described the shelter scramble as a “huge challenge.”
“They have no idea where they are going or where they are,” said Julio Henriquez, a lawyer who has met many of the migrants.
Two flights bound for Martha’s Vineyard made stops in the Florida Panhandle, Henriquez said. While on board, immigrants found pamphlets and maps of Massachusetts.
The unsigned letter tells immigrants to report address changes to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, although U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is responsible for tracking immigrants, Henriquez said. “This is very sad advice,” he said.
Many immigrants have an appointment with ICE in San Antonio on Monday. Others in cities including Philadelphia and Washington were ordered to report to immigration officials within two weeks to three months.
U.S. officials have told immigration attorneys that the mandatory entry will be postponed, Henriquez said. Homeland Security officials did not immediately respond to a request for comment Friday.
In San Antonio, a Latina woman approached the city-run shelter for the refugees and put them up at a nearby La Quinta Inn, where she visited daily with food and gift cards, Henriquez said. She has committed to three-month residencies and three-month residencies in Washington, New York, Philadelphia, and Boston.
The woman, who identified herself as Perla with the immigrants, promised them jobs, housing and support in their immigration cases, said Oren Selstrom, a lawyer who provides free consultations.
The city of San Antonio was unaware of the flights, Deputy City Manager Maria Villagomez said.
Pedro Luis Torrelaba, 36, said he was promised work, food and housing. He thought he was going to New York.
“I’m not a victim,” he said Friday, thanking the residents of Martha’s Vineyard for their hospitality. “I just feel like I was wrong because they lied and there was nothing.”
The refugees were being voluntarily transferred to a military camp on nearby Cape Cod on Friday. Republican Gov. Charlie Baker said he would mobilize up to 125 National Guard members to assist the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency.
DeSantis said Friday that most immigrants intend to come to Florida, and the trip to Martha’s Vineyard is voluntary. He did not address the allegations of the refugees who were told they were going elsewhere.
Florida’s governor has advocated taking in refugees in Texas and pledged to continue transportation to immigrant-friendly “sanctuary” states.
“Our view is that you have to deal with the source, and if they’re going to come to Florida, or a lot of people are going to come to Florida, that’s our best way to make sure they end up with a sanctuary,” he said.
Texas has bused nearly 8,000 refugees to Washington since April, including more than 100 Thursday at the home of Vice President Kamala Harris. He bussed about 2,200 to New York and 300 to Chicago.
Arizona has bused more than 1,800 refugees to Washington since May, but has kept officials on the receiving end informed of the plans. The city of El Paso, Texas, has sent at least 1,135 refugees on 28 buses to New York since Aug. 23, and shares passenger lists and other information, according to Arizona.
Last week, a 2-year-old girl from Texas to New York was hospitalized due to dehydration, and a pregnant woman on the same bus was in critical condition, according to advocates and city officials.
Groups of volunteers often wait in designated areas at the Manhattan Port Authority bus terminal for buses from Texas. They rely on tips for help.
“It’s a problem because we don’t know when the buses will come, how many buses will come, if anyone on these buses has a medical condition, if they need a wheelchair, if they need assistance,” said Commissioner Manuel Castro. New York City Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs. We at least want to know that so we can better help people when they come.
Castro said the contractor Texas hired to bus refugees signed an agreement barring them from talking to New York officials.
Some fathers arrived in New York when their spouses and children were sent to Washington, said Ilze Tillman, volunteer director of TLC NYC, the group working to reunite them.
Illinois Democratic Governor JB Pritzker said his administration had reached out to Texas but had received no information. The first immigrants arrived at Chicago Union Station from Texas on August 31.
Abbott’s office has dismissed complaints about a lack of coordination to keep cities guessing about the governor’s next steps as he tries to stir opposition to President Joe Biden’s border policies.
“Instead of whining about keeping their sanctuary city promises, these Democrat hypocrites should be calling on President Biden to do his job and secure the border — something the president continues to fail to do,” spokeswoman Renee Eze said Thursday.
Arizona has been working through the Border Health Regional Center, which has been running clinics for low-income patients in Yuma since May. Several days a week, a bus runs eastbound from the clinic office in suburban Somerton.
The health care provider’s CEO, Amanda Aguirre, told Republican Gov. Doug Ducey’s staff that it would not participate without close coordination. Arizona has developed data-sharing protocols from scratch with Carecen, a nonprofit group in Washington that helps refugees, Aguirre said.
“I would never allow people to fight on the street because here in Yuma, that’s what I’m trying to prevent from fighting on the street,” Aguirre said.
Some refugees seem unaffected by the turmoil.
Cleaver Rodriguez, a Venezuelan, said he appreciated the free commute from Texas to New York in search of work.
“I have no comment because at least they helped me get here,” Rodriguez, 24, said as he left the shelter.
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Solomon reports from Miami and Torrance from New York. Associated Press writers Anthony Izaguirre in Tallahassee, Florida; Elliot Spagat in Somerton, Arizona; Jake Bleiberg in Dallas; Morgan Lee in Santa Fe, New Mexico; and Paul Weber in Austin, Texas, contributed to this report.
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