Florida Governor Ron DeSantis suggested on Tuesday that illegal immigrants fleeing to his state from the gang-controlled island nation of Haiti “very well may be” relocated to Democrat-controlled sanctuary cities like the liberal enclave of Martha’s Vineyard.
Speaking with podcast host Dana Loesch, the governor stressed the eminent threat that gang violence in Haiti poses to the Sunshine State, as well as the role the federal government has played in facilitating the crisis.
“The problem when you get to a situation like Florida is, if you have people in our in our state and we want to fly them, say, back to Haiti, you have to get clearance to be able to do that,” DeSantis said. “If you want to fly somebody to a South American country, wherever they’re from, it becomes a little bit more difficult because the federal government’s going to tell the host countries not to accept our plane.”
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As Valuetainment previously reported, Haiti has been brought to the brink of collapse in recent weeks after hyper-violent (and possibly cannibalistic) street gangs launched a coup against the government and took control of the capital of Port-au-Prince. After embattled Prime Minister Ariel Henry resigned, United States Border Patrol and defense officials from the Pentagon braced for a surge of migrants fleeing the island. Florida, only 840 miles from Haitian shores, is the most likely destination for those fleeing the violence.
But while federal regulations complicate the process of returning migrants to their country of origin, few laws exist preventing them from being relocated within the United States. As a result, DeSantis indicated that he is once again considering a tried-and-true method to handle the new arrivals.
“We do have our transport program … that’s going to be operational,” the governor continued. “Haitians land in the Florida Keys, their next stop very well may be Martha’s Vineyard.”
🚨 BREAKING🚨
"Haitians land in Florida Keys, their next stop very well be Martha's Vineyard" ~ @RonDeSantis
Podcast: https://t.co/HHFoIyoQxb pic.twitter.com/1xMvrWmKtg
— The Dana Show (@DanaLoeschRadio) March 19, 2024
In 2022, DeSantis seized national attention by transporting several busloads of South American immigrants to Martha’s Vineyard, releasing them into the care of local communities with no advance notice. The stated purpose of the program, which was met with outrage from neighborhood residents and national pundits, was to bring the immigration problem home for liberal elitists who have permitted or encouraged President Biden’s open borders policies.
Shortly before his threat to repeat the process with new Haitian migrants, DeSantis deployed additional naval resources from Florida law enforcement and the National Guard to intercept incoming boats off the Florida Keys. On Friday, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission officers interdicted a 42-foot vessel smuggling 25 Haitians (five of them children), as well as firearms, drugs, and night vision equipment.
“Hopefully it doesn’t come to that,” DeSantis said of the possibility of once again sending buses to Martha’s Vineyard. “But I think that we’re going to be ready.”
“I’ve got to defend my state,” DeSantis said. “I’ve got enough issues just dealing with people fleeing from blue states moving to Florida.”
Connor Walcott is a staff writer for Valuetainment.com. Follow Connor on X and look for him on VT’s “The Unusual Suspects.”
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