A federal watchdog is investigating whether the state of Florida improperly used coronavirus relief funds to fly migrants from Texas to Massachusetts last month to protest the Biden administration’s immigration and border policies.
The flights were paid for by the state of Florida and authorized by Gov. Ron DeSantis, his office confirmed.
What You Need To Know
- A federal watchdog is investigating whether the state of Florida improperly used coronavirus relief funds to fly migrants from Texas to Massachusetts last month
- Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said the flights were made to protest the Biden administration’s immigration and border policies
- PREVIOUS COVERAGE:
The probe look into whether or not DeSantis used funds earmarked for COVID-19 aid to pay for or facilitate the flights, according to a letter to lawmakers from Richard Delmar, the Deputy Inspector General of the Treasury Department.
“As part of its oversight responsibilities for the (State and Local Fiscal Recovery Fund), (the Treasury Office of the Inspector General) has audit work planned on recipients’ compliance with eligible use guidance,” Delmar wrote. “In addition, as part of our oversight work of the Coronavirus Relief Fund, we have already sought information from Florida about appropriate use of that fund.”
“We plan to get this work underway as soon as possible, consistent with meeting our other oversight mandates and priorities,” he added.
In a letter to the Inspector General on Sept. 16, Sen. Ed Markey alleged that Florida used federal funds intended to help communities recover from COVID-19 to transport the migrants, most of whom were from Venezuela. The letter also asked the Inspector General to rescind any misused funds from the state as well.
“On Wednesday evening, Florida used federal coronavirus aid to relocate 50 men, women, and children from the state to Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts,” Markey wrote in the letter. “To execute this political stunt, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis tapped a $12 million program that the Florida legislature created earlier this year to allow the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) to ‘facilitate the transport of unauthorized aliens out of Florida.’ Florida then employed this program to relocate the 50 immigrants to Martha’s Vineyard.”
The migrants were actually flown from Texas.
Markey was quick to applaud the OIG’s reply, arguing that the governor lured the migrants under false pretenses.
“I applaud the swift response from the Treasury’s Office of the Inspector General,” said Markey. “For the sake of the migrants who were lured onto charter planes under false pretenses, and for the commendable Commonwealth residents who rallied together to offer support, I hope that this investigation sheds light on whether Governor DeSantis misused funds that were intended for COVID relief for Floridians.”
The governor’s office confirmed funds for the flights came from Florida in September. It also argued that the state’s legislature appropriated $12 million for a program to transport illegal immigrants.
“Florida can confirm the two planes with illegal immigrants that arrived in Martha’s Vineyard today were part of the state’s relocation program to transport illegal immigrants to sanctuary destinations. States like Massachusetts, New York, and California will better facilitate the care of these individuals who they have invited into our country by incentivizing illegal immigration through their designation as “sanctuary states” and support for the Biden Administration’s open border policies,” the statement provided by DeSantis’ communications director Taryn Fenske.
