DeSantis Calls Virtue Signaling Of Sanctuary Cities ‘A Fraud’

Authored by Jannis Falkenstern via The Epoch Times (emphasis ours),

Gov. Ron DeSantis responded to criticism about his sending illegal aliens to affluent Martha’s Vineyard by calling out the cities that “beat their chest” proclaiming they’re a sanctuary for those crossing the border illegally.

“All those people in DC and New York were beating their chests when Trump was president saying they were so proud to be sanctuary jurisdictions— saying how bad it was to have a secure border. The minute even a small fraction of what those border towns deal with every day is brought to their front door, they all of a sudden go berserk and they’re so upset that this is happening,” DeSantis said at the press conference on Sept. 15 in Okaloosa County. “It just shows, you know, their virtue signaling is a fraud.”

DESANTIS: “The minute even a small fraction of what those border towns deal with every day is brought to their front door, [Democrats] all of a sudden go berserk and they’re so upset this is happening. It just shows you their virtue signaling is a fraud.”pic.twitter.com/dm9oGqbA67

— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) September 15, 2022

DeSantis responded to a reporter’s question about the two planes of approximately 50 Venezuelan illegal immigrants he directed to land at Martha’s Vineyard, described as a “hideaway for the rich and famous,” on Sept. 14. This action follows the governor’s promise to send illegals to Democrat-controlled areas.

“In Florida, we take what is happening at the southern border seriously,” he said. “We are not a sanctuary state, and we will gladly facilitate the transport of illegal immigrants to sanctuary jurisdictions.”

According to flight records, the charter flights originated in Texas and made a stop to pick up migrants from Florida’s panhandle.

Taryn Fenske, the governor’s communications director, said in a written statement on Sept. 14 that the flights were part of Florida’s “relocation program to transport illegal immigrants to sanctuary destinations.”

“States like Massachusetts, New York, and California will better facilitate the care of these individuals whom 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,” Fenske added.

Fenske said that the Florida Legislature gave DeSantis $12 million to transport illegal immigrants out of the state. When the Florida governor made the budget request in December, he named Martha’s Vineyard as one of the destinations, as well as President Joe Biden’s home state of Delaware.

“Florida’s immigration relocation program both targets human smugglers found in Florida and preempts others from entering,” Fenske continued.

On the evening of Sept 14, after the planes had landed, the Dukes County Emergency Management Association in Edgartown, Massachusetts, wrote on Twitter that it was seeking volunteers and opening emergency shelters on Martha’s Vineyard “due to an unexpected urgent #humanitarian situation.”

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