Thursday 15 September 2022 05:23 PM Conservatives joke that Martha's Vineyard residents are ripping down ... trends now
Conservatives are finding mirth in Florida's surprise airlift of about 50 migrants to Martha's Vineyard, joking that the wealthy liberal enclave will now have to put its money where its mouth is after long proclaiming pro-immigrant values.
'Whole lotta Martha's Vineyard residents about to take down the 'all are welcome here' lawn signs sitting in front of their mansions,' joked Andrew Wagner, a GOP operative in Minnesota, in a tweet.
The move by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis to send the planeload of unauthorized immigrants, mostly from Venezuela, to the island came as a surprise in the affluent community - where prominent liberals such as the Obamas, Oprah Winfrey and Larry David all have homes.
But supporters of DeSantis pointed out that for years, many homes and businesses on the island have displayed a sign with various inclusive messages, including 'we stand with immigrants' and 'all are welcome here.'
'I wonder how quickly those 'All are welcome here' signs disappeared from the various Martha's Vineyard properties?' one Twitter user joked.
The migrant group, mostly from Venezuela, is seen on Thursday morning at St. Andrew's Church in Edgartown, which provided emergency shelter by setting up cots in the parish hall
For several years, many businesses and homes in Martha's Vineyard have displayed the above sign with various inclusive messages, including welcoming immigrants
Officials on Martha's Vineyard have slammed the airlift as a 'cruel and inhumane' stunt that uses human beings as 'political pawns' -- but insist that they are welcoming the migrant group with open arms.
'This is a community rallying to support immigrants children and families. It is the best of America,' tweeted state Rep. Dylan Fernandes on Thursday morning.
Following their arrival on Wednesday, the migrants stayed overnight at St. Andrew's Episcopal Church in Edgartown, which provided emergency shelter by clearing out the parish hall and setting up cots.
The small downtown parish is located on a quiet tree-lined street and nestled between multi-million homes, with one five-bedroom house next door currently listed for sale at $3.95 million, and another sold last year for $4.6 million.
St. Andrew's is also just over three miles away from the Obama family's $11.75 million vacation compound, which is situated on the coastal outskirts of Edgartown.
Martha's Vineyard residents and local officials have been quick to voice outrage at DeSantis and other GOP governors for their migrant transplant programs, with Fernandes calling the move 'evil and inhumane'.
'Republicans who call themselves Christians have been plotting for some time to use human lives - men, women, and children - as a political pawns,' he said in a tweet.
'They look at us as rich, liberal enclaves,' said the Democrat, whose district includes all of Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket, in remarks to the Boston Globe.
Migrants take breakfast at the rectory of St. Andrew's on Thursday. 'This is a community rallying to support immigrants children and families,' tweeted state Rep. Dylan Fernandes
Air mattresses were also set up at St. Andrews as the church converted to an emergency shelter. It's unclear how long the migrants will remain on the island
The migrants spent Wednesday night at St. Andrew's Episcopal Church, which provided cots and food. Rep. Fernandes said of the migrants: 'Some of them were told lies…they were told they would receive housing and jobs immediately upon arrival'
Immigrants gather with their belongings outside St. Andrews Episcopal Church, a small parish in Edgartown
The church (center) is nestled between multi-million homes, with one house next door (right) sold last year for $4.6 million, and another (not pictured) currently listed for sale at $3.95 million. It is also about three miles from the Obama compound
The migrants were first fed in the cafeteria at Martha's Vineyard Regional High School (above) before being transported to the church for shelter
School buses were used to get the group of migrants, mostly from Venezuela, to the church that provided shelter
'Our island jumped into action putting together 50 beds, giving everyone a good meal, providing a play area for the children, making sure people have the healthcare and support they need,' Fernandes added in a tweet. 'We are a community that comes together to support immigrants.'
It follows similar moves from other GOP governors. Texas Governor Greg Abbott began busing thousands of migrants to Washington in April and recently added New York and Chicago as destinations.
Arizona Governor Doug Ducey has been busing migrants to Washington since May. The states say that passengers must sign waivers that the free trips are voluntary.
In Massachusetts, pictures published by the Martha's Vineyard Gazette and the Martha's Vineyard Times showed the migrants in the affluent community, where they were first fed in the cafeteria at the local high school before being transported to the church for shelter.
In a statement, DeSantis' office said: 'Yes, Florida can confirm the two planes with illegal immigrants that arrived in Martha's Vineyard today were part of the state's relocation program to transport illegal immigrants to sanctuary destinations.'
The remarks continued: 'States like Massachusetts, New York, and California will better facilitate the care of these individuals who they have invited into our country by incentivizing illegal immigration through their designation as 'sanctuary states' and support for the Biden Administration's open border policies.'
Both of the planes were carrying around 50 Venezuelan migrants
