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California Governor Gavin Newsom has challenged Ron DeSantis to a debate over his decision to send 50 migrants to Martha’s Vineyard, while Florida’s governor has doubled up on sending more migrants to Democratic “sanctuary towns.”
Earlier this week, DeSantis mimicked his Texas and Arizona counterparts by sending groups of migrants to Democrat-run cities in the north in protest of the Biden administration’s border policies.
Newsom and other Democratic leaders have dismissed the move as playing with people’s lives, with California governor challenging DeSantis to a debate ahead of the midterm elections.
“Hi @GovRonDeSantis, it’s clear you’re struggling, distracted and engaged in politics playing with people’s lives,” Newsom tweeted Friday.
“Since you have only one urgent need – attention – let’s discuss and discuss this,” Newsom said in response to a tweet from Dan Liever asking CNN to set up a debate between the two governors.
“I’ll bring my hair gel. Bring your hairspray,” he added, referring to DeSantis’ joke earlier that day that Newsom’s “hair gel interferes with his brain function” when the California governor criticized his actions.
California Governor Gavin Newsom (left) challenged Florida Governor Ron DeSantis (right) to a debate over his decision to fly 50 migrants to Martha’s Vineyard. DeSantis said his state is ready to invest $12 million to fly more migrants to Democrat-run cities in the north
Newsom’s challenge comes as DeSantis continued to defend flying the migrants to Martha’s Vineyard, saying his state has a $12 million budget ready to move more immigrants north. CNN reported.
“These are just the first attempts,” DeSantis said at a news conference Friday. ‘We now have an infrastructure. Much more is going to happen.’
The Florida governor said he could even partner with Texas governor Greg Abbott, who began transporting the wave of thousands of migrants to New York City, Seattle and Washington DC.
DeSantis has accused critics of his action of “virtue signaling” and said their concern for the welfare of the migrants was a “fraud”.
He said, “The minute even a small fraction of what those border towns go through every day is brought to their doorsteps, they go crazy and are so upset that this is happening.”
The Republican also disputed claims the migrants did not know where they were being sent, saying his office had them sign a waiver and provided maps of Martha’s Vineyard.
“It’s obvious where they went,” he said, adding, “It’s all voluntary.”
DeSantis defended his actions, claiming the migrants knew exactly where they were going and volunteered for the trip.
Pictured: A group of 50 migrants enjoyed Venezuelan food at the military base after Martha’s Vineyard declared a state of emergency over the group’s arrival
About 150 members of the National Guard were called in to transport the migrants from the island to the Cape Cod military base, 52 miles away.
Along with Newsom, DeSantis has received a lot of criticism from the left over his actions.
US Representative Seth Moulton, a Democrat from Massachusetts, accused DeSantis of orchestrating a political trick on the lives of the migrants.
“Playing politics with people’s lives is what governors like George Wallace did during segregation,” Moulton said, referring to Wallace’s tactic of tricking black Southerners into moving north. “Ron DeSantis is trying to earn George Wallace’s legacy.”
White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre also targeted DeSantis and Texas Governor Greg Abbott at a news conference today, urging other Republicans who disagree with their “blueprint” to “do it.” to speak’.
She said: “This is an issue and we have been clear about this, this is an inhumane issue, it is abhorrent and we should not use people, migrants, who are fleeing communism, as political pawns.”
Even former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton joined in, calling the transport of migrants “inhumane” and licking it as “human trafficking.”
It was a hot meal for the migrants being moved from Martha’s Vineyard to Joint Base Cape Cod, pictured: a mother carrying her children to be taken to the base by bus
The migrants settle shortly after days of confusion that began when they were taken to a Florida airport to be shipped to Massachusetts
Despite the accusations against DeSantis, the majority of migrants sent to Massachusetts just seemed happy to be given shelter and food.
The migrants, most of whom are from Venezuela, are currently being housed at Joint Base Cape Cod after Martha’s Vineyard issued an emergency order and called in about 150 National Guard troops to help the immigrants move.
Lisa Belcastro, the island’s homelessness director, claimed the affluent area is experiencing a “housing crisis.”
Her claims were supported by Governor Charlie Baker, who said Martha’s Vineyard, with a population of 15,000, “is not equipped to provide sustainable housing” to the migrants.
The migrant issue comes after Abbott yesterday sent 101 migrants to Vice President Kamala Harris’ home in Washington DC – just days after declaring the border “secure.”
Texas has been hit hardest by the influx of new migrants arriving at the border, with nearly 1,000 migrants being released to sleep on the streets of El Paso due to the wave of illegal border crossings overwhelming border patrol facilities.
DeSantis is now ramping up the escalating immigration war in Democrat-run areas by threatening to fly more migrants to President Biden’s home state of Delaware, while Lieutenant Governor Jeanette Nunez doubled down on the plan Thursday.
Republicans have stepped up their attacks on the Biden administration as they try to make immigration the theme of November’s midterm elections.