BOURNE, MASS. (WHDH) - The Venezuelan migrants who were moved to Joint Base Cape Cod will leave for more sustainable housing plans, Gov. Charlie Baker announced Tuesday.
Dozens of migrants had been relocated at the base since Sept. 16, two days after all 35 of them were flown into Martha’s Vineyard airport as part of an “immigration relocation” program by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. Over a dozen people, including families, have left the base already for opportunities in and outside Massachusetts.
“We are incredibly grateful for so many of our partners who’ve mobilized to help the folks sheltering at Joint Base Cape Cod,” Acting MEMA Director Dawn Brantley said. “Their team has worked hard, around the clock from day one to ensure that day to day operations and service provision run smoothly.”
A press release said that services provided to the migrants at the base have included clothing, hygienic supplies and health care, in addition to legal, transportation, and interpreter services, among others. The aid was available due partly to the financial assistance from a fund coordinated by Martha’s Vineyard Community Services, the administration said.
The legal services were provided by the Justice Center of Southeast Massachusetts in collaboration with “numerous non-profit organizations and private attorneys, including Lawyers for Civil Rights,” the release said.
As previously reported, community members had rushed to accommodate dozens of Venezuelan migrants when they arrived at Martha’s Vineyard with only 20 minutes’ notice to island officials.
The migrants were sent by DeSantis in protest to President Joe Biden’s border policies, a move highly criticized by local lawmakers.
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