DeSantis used Florida tax money when immigrants were sent to Martha’s Vineyard

Tallahassee – Gov. Ron DeSantis paid $615,000 in Florida taxpayer money Relocate about 50 immigrants Calls from Texas to Martha’s Vineyard on Friday intensified from Democrats demanding an investigation into the conduct.

Democrat Charlie Christo, who is challenging DeSantis for governor in November, tweeted the dollar amount After campaign researchers discovered September 8th payment to Vertol Systems, a Destin-based transportation services company, on the state’s transparentflorida.gov site.

The payment comes from the Florida Department of Transportation, which oversees a new $12 million program to move unauthorized aliens out of the state.

“Ron doesn’t answer questions so we looked at ourselves,” Christo tweeted.

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“Florida residents paid $12,300 for each refugee trafficked by DeSantis for his political purposes,” he added.

DeSantis did not provide details on how the move was made a day before Texas Gov. Greg Abbott sent two buses of immigrants to the official residence of Vice President Kamala Harris in Washington, D.C.

DeSantis’ office says it acted in accordance with Florida’s immigration relocation program

Further uncertainty remains about the state’s role in transporting migrants, mostly Venezuelans. many reports They were recruited to the Texas flight by a woman identified only as “Parla” who promised quick job paperwork and other opportunities in Boston.

But the governor’s office said Friday it acted in accordance with the state’s relocation program.

“Florida’s Immigration Relocation Program deters human smugglers, traffickers, or other alien criminals found in the state and prevents illegal aliens at the southern border from entering Florida. ,” spokeswoman Taryn Fenske said in a statement.

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The state budget language authorizing the $12 million program permits unauthorized alien transfers from “this” state consistent with federal law.

Still, the move has fueled debate over President Biden’s border policy, with Republicans calling for an influx of illegal immigration, drugs, and crime into the United States, particularly into the Republican-led border states of Texas and Arizona. He says it is increasing.

Biden denounced the move by Abbott and Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey after he had already sent immigrants to Chicago, New York and Washington, D.C.

“Instead of looking for solutions, Republicans are using people as props to run politics,” Biden said. “What they’re doing is just wrong.”

After two days of instability on Massachusetts, migrants were moved Friday to Cape Cod Joint Base, a military installation, for temporary shelter and humanitarian assistance.

A civil rights lawyer was helping them with their immigration efforts, and Martha’s Vineyard volunteers were helping feed and house them at the local church.

Christo agreed the U.S. Department of Justice should investigate whether DeSantis violated federal human trafficking laws

Christo visited the state capitol on Friday for a campaign rally to move immigrants who said he agreed with a call from Nicky Fried, the Florida Agriculture Commissioner who lost the Democratic primary in August.

“This may not be just immorality,” said Christo. “This could have been illegal, and we have a right to know.”

DeSantis seemed to be mindful that Florida’s immigration law passed by the Republican-controlled Congress this year only deals with the movement of “unauthorized aliens from the state.”

The two Florida-paid planes departed San Antonio, Texas and headed for Crestview on the Florida Panhandle. This was probably intended to justify the use of Florida taxpayers’ dollars. From there we went to Spartanburg, South Carolina before continuing on to Martha’s Vineyard.

Another plane headed for Charlotte, North Carolina, before landing on the island, according to flight records.

DeSantis, the likely 2024 Republican presidential nominee, defended his decision in a speech in Niceville on Thursday.

“We take what’s happening on our southern border very seriously,” DeSantis said. are different,” he said.

John Kennedy is a reporter for the USA TODAY Network’s Florida Capital Bureau. You can contact him at jkennedy2@gannett.com or @JKennedyReport on Twitter.