WOODS HOLE, MASS. (WHDH) - The recent arrival of 50 migrants in Martha’s Vineyard is reigniting a battle over the border with some officials saying the only way the issue will be resolved is if politicians from both sides come together.
Rep. Dylan Fernandes, D-Falmouth, one of the many local lawmakers who rushed to assist the migrants, said he’s outraged after Florida Governor Ron DeSantis announced he sent them to make states like Massachusetts share the burden of border states.
“To use women and children as political pawns is cowardice,” Fernandes said. “Governor Desantis is a coward.”
Maureen Maloney, a Massachusetts mother whose son was killed by an undocumented immigrant in a 2011 traffic accident, said she thinks southern governors are making a good point.
“Illegal immigration is a huge issue in our country and it’s finally starting to get more attention,” said Maloney. “They’re [critics] making a big deal of DeSantis sending illegal immigrants to Martha’s Vineyard, yet regularly illegal immigrants are being transported up to Massachusetts and that doesn’t get any media attention, I’m sure those numbers are much higher.”
Some Republicans on Capitol Hill agree.
“Terrific idea,” said Senator John Cornyn, R-Texas. “I don’t know how else to get President Biden and Kamala Harris’ attention to the broken borders that we have in Texas and all across the U.S.-Mexico border.”
President Joe Biden said Republican officials should not interfere with the immigration process.
“Republicans are playing politics with human beings, using them as props. What they’re doing is simply wrong, it’s un-American, it’s reckless,” said Biden.
Immigration advocates said they just want to see both sides move beyond politics to create real progress.
“It’s time for Republicans and Democrats to start working together to fix a broken immigration system,” said Domingo Garcia, president of the League of United Latin American Citizens.
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