BACKFIRED: This isn’t how DeSantis planned for his human trafficking stunt to end
Thanks to Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, the migrants he used as political pawns to own the libs have just learned their stay in the U.S. is guaranteed, at least for the next few years.
In September, DeSantis, cranking up his re-election campaign, reportedly transported around 50 migrants, all or most of whom had already gone through the legal process of documentation and receiving an immigration court date, to Martha’s Vineyard in Massachusetts.
In fact, the publicity resulting from the stunt caught the attention of the nation.
Perhaps it netted DeSantis some support in his election; however, it also brought forward compassionate and caring human beings to help the immigrants.
First, it was the residents of Martha’s Vineyard, hurrying to make sure their unexpected visitors had food, shelter, and other needs met.
They weren’t alone, though — there’s the business owner who stepped up to offer employment, immigration attorneys, and one Texas Sheriff who all came forward to do their part.
The end result?
The immigrants will be in the United States for at least a few years, while they go through the court system and testify about the crime of which they are alleged to be victims — as they were transported under false pretenses, potentially even falling under the banner of human trafficking. Washington Post reports:
“The group of 49 people, nearly all from Venezuela, became eligible for a type of visa available only to victims of crimes who are assisting in law enforcement investigations, a process that also shields them from deportation.”
Whether the case ends up dropped, or DeSantis is eventually charged with a criminal act in their transportation, he’s also under investigation to determine whether he misused funds in the process. The Guardian reports:
“The Treasury Office of Inspector General (TIG) is inquiring into whether DeSantis used the interest earned on funds from the coronavirus state and local fiscal recovery funds (SLFRF) program that his state received as part of Biden’s American Rescue Plan…DeSantis defended his decision, arguing that the migrants had intentions to come to Florida, despite having no evidence for such a claim.”
Attorneys hope not only to receive results for this group of migrants, but a lasting impact.
They’re hoping for a ruling that would prevent DeSantis and others from future incidents of “inducing immigrants to travel across state lines by fraud and misrepresentation,” according to NPR.
The cost on humanity–or in DeSantis’s case, lack thereof–is a heavy one, not to mention it has cost Florida taxpayers over $2.6 million in legal bills and upwards of $35,000 per migrant–something the voters never signed up for.
