Transporting Migrants North: Cruel and Inhumane like Trump’s Family Separation?

As has been blogged about on ImmigrationProf, the Governors of Texas and Florida have made the news with highly publicized transportation of migrants to New York City, Washington D.C., Chicago, and now Martha’s Vineyard.  Most of the migrants flown to Martha’s Vineyard had fled political and economic turmoil in Venezuela. 

The legality of the transportation of migrants has been questioned.  Whatever the legality of the practice, the bussing of migrants seems little more than a publicity stunt.  Still, it is a cruel one that plays with human lives — lives that have been traumatized and led to their migration to the United States.

California Governor Gavin Newsome tweeted the following yesterday:

What @GovRonDeSantis and @GregAbbott_TX are doing isn’t clever, it’s cruel.

I’m formally requesting the DOJ begin an immediate investigation into these inhumane efforts to use kids as political pawns. pic.twitter.com/x2sBa06nSw

— Gavin Newsom (@GavinNewsom) September 15, 2022

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis responded:

Florida’s @GovRonDeSantis on @GavinNewsom saying he should be investigated for kidnapping & trafficking for sending illegal immigrants to Martha’s Vineyard. “I think his hair gel is interfering with his brain function.” pic.twitter.com/04stqE2G9k

— Clay Travis (@ClayTravis) September 16, 2022

It strikes me that the use of migrants as political props during election season is just as cynical and cruel as President Trump’s controversial policy of separating migrant families at the border.

Governor Newsom has challenged Governor DeSantis to a debate.

KJ