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In recent months, some Republican US state governors have sent thousands of immigrants to countries ruled by Democrats, with the intent of arguing against government policies on welcoming immigrants. They specially sent them to the so-called “safe haven cities”, that is, those cities that refuse to apply the rules of irregular immigration and that guarantee protection for illegal immigrants who do not violate the law. Historically, major centers that have been ruled by Democrats, such as New York, Washington, D.C., Boston, and Chicago, are “protected cities.”

In these big cities in recent months, the Republican governor of Texas and Arizona, Greg Abbott and Doug Ducey, has sent many immigrants to protest with the US government and demand tighter border controls with Mexico, nearly all of them. Migrants are immigrants from Central and South America who enter the country irregularly. On Thursday, September 15, two buses carrying more than a hundred immigrants, coming from various countries of Central and South America, left Texas and arrived in Washington. They were lowered near the house of US Vice President Kamala Harris, with an apparent provocative intent, and then taken to a shelter.

In recent days, a similar operation has also been organized by the Republican Governor of Florida, Ron DeSantis, who, however, did not send immigrants to a big city, but to a small resort known to be frequented by people of liberal orientation: Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts ( about 2,000 km from Miami, Florida, and 3,000 km from Texas), where, among other things, many prominent Democratic politicians and former presidents, including Barack Obama, are their home.

In Florida, we take what’s happening on the southern border very seriously.

We are not a sanctuary country, and we will gladly facilitate the transfer of illegal immigrants to jurisdictional sanctuary areas. pic.twitter.com/YeEbMzy8yG

– Ron DeSantis (@GovRonDeSantis) September 15, 2022

Wednesday, September 14 at Martha’s Vineyard sTwo planes sent a total of 48 migrants, most of whom were Venezuelan nationals. To many, the DeSantis movement seemed like a political and propaganda move, to the point that it is not even clear whether the immigrants who arrived on the island passed through Florida. In fact, the planes took off from San Antonio, Texas, and only made a brief stop in Florida.

– Read also: Videos that show what it’s like to be an illegal immigrant in Texas

Some Venezuelan immigrants sent to Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts (ANSA/EPA/CJ GUNTHER)

Operation DeSantis was heavily criticized by many Democratic politicians, who believed it was merely a political gimmick to gain support. A stinging criticism of DeSantis also came directly from US President Joe Biden, who on Thursday commented on the arrival of immigrants on Martha’s Vineyard: “Instead of working with us on finding solutions, Republicans are playing a political game on human skin. By using them as puppets. What they’re doing is simply wrong. It’s something “un-American.”

In the meantime, the community of Martha’s Vineyard welcomed the immigrants who arrived without much problems, looking for housing and providing all the necessary assistance.