Whether you agree with it or not, Florida Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis’s decision to send two planes carrying nearly 50 migrants on Wednesday to Martha’s Vineyard, the tony island playground of the rich off the south shore of Massachusetts, has thrust the issue of illegal immigration into the national spotlight – in a big way.
Needless to say, debate over the move dominated the airwaves, where opinions fell mostly along party lines.
Liberal elites, who support the politicians responsible for our open southern border both at the ballot box and through large political donations, have remained largely insulated from the crisis it has created — until now.
NBC News reported on Friday that DeSantis’ political stunt has divided Venezuelan Americans. The network spoke to advertising executive Max Lefeld, a Venezuelan American and a founding member of the Casa Venezuela Dallas foundation, an organization that provides assistance to asylum-seekers.
“It’s like me taking my trash out and just driving to different areas where I live and just throwing my trash there,” Lefeld said.
NBC used Lefeld’s comparison of asylum seekers to “trash” as the caption on a Twitter post that included the article.
Conservatives were quick to point out how much Lefeld’s comment revealed about the left’s true feelings about migrants.
Following intense backlash, NBC deleted the tweet.
NBC just deleted this tweet comparing “asylum-seekers” to “trash.” pic.twitter.com/gR2s0yt4fQ
— Addison Smith (@AddisonSmithOAN) September 16, 2022
Uhhhhh https://t.co/1e0uuYqJYk
— Ben Shapiro (@benshapiro) September 16, 2022
Democrats’ hypocrisy has been the main takeaway from this episode. The liberals who call Martha’s Vineyard their home wanted nothing more than to get these migrants off their island and to end this ’emergency’ as quickly as possible.
An article in the Martha’s Vineyard Times described a community that had been thrown into absolute chaos over this situation. Town administrator Jennifer Rand told members of the West Tisbury Select Board on Wednesday night that she had been receiving “furious texts” from residents throughout the meeting, according to the Times.
The overriding message from residents was that the migrants had to go. The island simply doesn’t have the resources to accommodate them.
On Thursday, the island’s tourism board called the asylum seekers’ arrival a “humanitarian crisis,” The New York Post reported.
According to the Post, an emergency-management representative issued a statement on Thursday which said local authorities “are actively collaborating to develop a coordinated regional response. … We have reached out to our State and Federal partners for additional and long term support and assistance.’’
They don’t want them. pic.twitter.com/qJFJk0onIJ
— NYCHomoCon (@NYCHomoCon) September 15, 2022
Ultimately, Massachusetts’ Republican Gov. Charlie Baker stepped in to end the crisis. He activated the state’s National Guard, which transported the individuals off the island.
Perhaps the most telling statement of all came from a reader in the comment section of the MV Times piece. The resident wrote: “Where are they going to live? Who is going to feed and provide medical care? Do they speak English? WHY? WHY? WHY?”
Border state residents ask themselves the same questions. Only they’re not faced with 50 refugees; they’re faced with thousands every day.
