EDGARTOWN, MASS. (WHDH) - As state lawmakers and volunteers grapple with the sudden arrival of 50 migrants on the small island of Martha’s Vineyard, many have speculated that Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis chose the location for its symbolism as a playground for the liberal elite.
Former Democratic Presidents Bill Clinton and Barack Obama regularly vacationed on the island, staying in massive estates, enjoying the island’s fine dining and golfing on perfectly manicured courses.
“Martha’s Vineyard in particular has a reputation of being home to fairly wealthy liberals,” said Sarang Sekhavat, of the Massachusetts Immigration & Refugee Advocacy Coalition.
Although DeSantis said he chose Massachusetts because it’s a sanctuary state, immigration advocates said that this status only applies to policing.
“All it’s really saying is that it’s safe for you to go to the police when you have problems, when you are the victim or the witness of a crime, that the police won’t be turning you over to immigration enforcement,” Sekhavat said.
This does not mean, though, that Massachusetts or any other sanctuary state will automatically get additional resources to handle immigration cases.
“There’s no housing (on Martha’s Vineyard),” said Rep. Bill Keating, D-Bourne. “Once the season gets over, people should realize, these are small communities lacking resources.”
He added that the immigration system is broken, and border states shouldn’t be left to fix the issues, but the Vineyard isn’t the answer, either.
“We should come together on this issue as a country, and not play one state off the other,” he added.
(Copyright (c) 2024 Sunbeam Television. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)