Causes.com
| 6.21.23
Three-Year-Old Girl Dies on Migrant Bus From Texas to Chicago
What do you think of DeSantis's and Abbott's decision to send migrants to other states?
Updated August 15, 2023, 9:35 a.m. PST
- A three-year-old girl from Venezuela has died while aboard a controversial migrant bus from Texas to Chicago.
- The child’s death is the first reported since Republican Governor Greg Abbott began busing thousands of asylum seekers to Democrat-led cities last year in a program criticized by human rights groups.
- The Texas Division of Emergency Management said that the bus pulled over and 911 was called when the little girl began showing worrying health symptoms. The agency confirmed that passengers had their temperature taken and were asked whether they had any medical conditions before boarding.
- The girl's parents are currently in Indiana with their family, receiving assistance from the Champaign Urbana Immigration Forum.
- Ricardo Diaz, from the Champaign Urbana Immigration Forum, said:
“There’s just an empathy part because the parents I mean they're from Venezuela, they crossed, well literally, you know, ocean, mountains rivers, all for their children and that's just really, really sad to have gotten so far. And then is it worthless? It’s worse because you can’t feel that what you did was worth it."
- Chicago's Mayor Lori Lightfoot has previously condemned Abbott's policy, calling it “inhumane” and “dangerous.”
Updated June 21, 2023
- In the latest example of a GOP strategy to bring the border crisis to Democrat-led cities, Texas' Republican Gov. Greg Abbott has sent a busload of 40 migrants to Los Angeles.
- The group of migrants arrived at Union Station, after which a human rights organization took them to a nearby church.
- Abbott tweeted that it was the "1st bus," insinuating that more would follow. He blamed the Biden administration, saying:
"Small Texas border towns remain overrun & overwhelmed because Biden refuses to secure the border."
- Last year, Abbott sent thousands of migrants north to cities like Chicago, New York City, and Philadelphia, a move human rights activists deemed cruel and exploitative.
- L.A.'s Mayor Karen Bass said:
"It is abhorrent that an American elected official is using human beings as pawns in his cheap political games."
- Bass continued, emphasizing her city's response:
"This did not catch us off guard, nor will it intimidate us. Now, it's time to execute our plan. Our emergency management, police, fire and other departments were able to find out about the incoming arrival while the bus was on its way and were already mobilized along with non-profit partners before the bus arrived."
Updated June 5, 2023
- In an ongoing tactic being used by GOP-led states like Florida and Texas, buses and planes are being chartered to relocate migrants to Democrat-led states like New York, California, and Massachusetts.
- California's attorney general, Rob Bonta, is investigating the most recent occurrence of 16 Colombian and Venezuelan migrants discovered at the Roman Catholic Church diocese's headquarters in the state capital, Sacramento.
- Bonta says that the migrants had documentation that appeared to have been issued by Florida.
The migrants' journey
- It appears that the migrants entered through Texas, where they were given asylum hearing dates.
- They were then approached outside a migrant center in El Paso and offered help with job searches and resettlement. The migrants were misled, according to Bonta, and were transported to New Mexico and then on to California.
- Their documentation suggests that they were transported through a program run by Florida's Division of Emergency Management in partnership with a private contractor, Vertol Systems Co.
- Florida paid the same contractor $1.56 million last year to fly migrants from Texas to Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts, which sparked outrage among migrant rights activists.
- Bonta said:
"While we continue to collect evidence, I want to say this very clearly: State-sanctioned kidnapping is not a public policy choice, it is immoral and disgusting."
"Whoever is behind this must answer the following: Is there anything more cruel than using scared human beings to score cheap political points?"
- California Gov. Gavin Newsom said in a statement that he met with the migrants and that they are being "treated with respect and dignity."
What’s the story?
- Florida's Gov. DeSantis sent 50 migrants to Martha’s Vineyard, MA, by plane to push the responsibility for the group onto Massachusetts state authorities. Sen. Julian Cyr (D-MA) told the New York Times that the migrants arrived in two planes around 3 p.m. local time. The representative took to Twitter, saying they arrived on a charter flight from Texas and are mostly from Venezuela.
- Fox News published a video of the migrants deplaning:
- DeSantis’ communication director, Taryn Fenske, told Fox News:
“Yes, 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.”
- Rep. Dylan Fernandes (D-MA) tweeted that the community rallied resources to help the migrants, and were able to provide housing in a local church.
- Migrants who were transported to Martha's Vineyard, a popular exclusive vacation destination for the rich and powerful, were provided relief services and short-term shelter from local community organizations.
What they're saying
- Cyr deeply criticized the decision, telling the Martha’s Vineyard Times that the act was a cruel political stunt with “fundamentally racist tactics.” He said:
“This is deeply disgusting. This is a cruel ruse that manipulates families that are seeking a better life…Our community has been targeted, clearly.”
- The Republican leaders who are sending migrants elsewhere, like Gov. DeSantis and Gov. Abbott of Texas, have said that President Biden’s policies are causing a rise in unauthorized migration, and Democratic-led areas should bear the burden.
- Fenske said in a statement:
“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.”
- A spokesperson for DeSantis, Christina Pushaw, used the situation against liberals, tweeting:
- One of the migrants who landed in Martha’s Vineyard, known as Leonel, said that he had never seen anything like the generosity from the people of Martha’s Vineyard. He said:
“I haven’t slept well in three months. It’s been three months since I put on a new pair of pants. Or shoes.”
The big picture
- The move is not unique — in recent weeks, Republican state officials have sent thousands of migrants unannounced to Democrat-led regions, including New York, Washington, D.C, and Chicago.
- On Wednesday, Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker released a disaster proclamation after 500 migrants arrived in Chicago on buses from Texas, citing the need for emergency shelter and medical care. He stated:
“While other states may be treating these vulnerable families as pawns, here in Illinois, we are treating them as people."
- Illegal migration has increased significantly during the Biden administration, with Southern Republican states criticizing federal border security policies. Gov. DeSantis stated:
“We are not a sanctuary state, and it’s better to be able to go to a sanctuary jurisdiction, and yes, we will help facilitate that transport for you to be able to go to greener pastures...Every community in America should be sharing in the burdens. It shouldn’t all fall on a handful of red states.”
What do you think of DeSantis's decision to move migrants to other states?
-Jamie Epstein, Casey Dawson, & Emma Kansiz
(Photo credit: Facebook/Curt Autry NBC12)
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I think the The trump needs to be prosecuted and sentenced quickly to the fullest extent of the law.
There are too many new trumps infesting our governance anxious to pick up where the trump left off. This must be squelched completely while this country still has the means to do so.
The blatant callousness of the Republican Cartel's overlords is becoming more and more obvious and dangerous. The wealthy conservative benfactors are becoming less and less concerned about covering their tracks. The Republican Cartel openly repurposes taxpayer funds for political stunts while refusing to fund education, nutrition programs, or health care.
A lot of the money given to Mississippi to support their poorest population was diverted into building a volleyball facility for Brett Farve's daughter's University, while the unmaintained and failing water system inn there Capital city was left to rot. Even the taxpayers in Jackson voted to increase their sales taxes to assure that their families had adequate water supplies, but the State refused to let them do so.
DeSantis, Abbott, Duchey are all neo-trumps trying to out- cruel each other to appeal to the clueless MAGA base.
The fact that DeSantis made false promises to these poor people, promising job opportunities, shelter and food. He then dumped them in Martha's Vineyard expecting them to be rejected by the people who received their unannounced arrival so he sent a videographer to film their deplaning. Unfortuantely for DeSantis, most people are not heartless sociopathic politicians, and they helped these poor souls.
The issue that rots away the Republican Cartel, the trump, the neo-trumps and the wealthy conservatives behind screwing up the courts is that they judge the actions of others through the same lens that they unfortunately see the world with. People are generally not as corrupt, self-serving, unemopathicic bullies that they themselves are, and they have no way of reccognizing this in the lust for power and desire to 'win' no matter how enethical, immoral or illegal it may be.
Lock 'em all up and throw away the key, Save the future of our country.
Vote them all into political extinction, the silent ones who refuse to speak up and especially the ones looking to use their congressional influence for personal gain.
So awesome that the kind people are being so generous. ❤️
Liberals are civilized people.
DeSantis is fascist slime.
You can be a person who works to solve a problem
or
a person who exploits a problem, for their own personal gain, at a cost to others.
Effective leaders know the difference.
You prob can hear me breathe a deep sigh right now.
I am strongly liberal, but I've noticed EITHER party does not have a good solution. Blocking immigrants and sending them back to their country will not solve it. If do that, death or torture awaits them.
On other hand, welcoming immigrants and allowing them into the USA needs to be revisited.
What the Red governors did was not the right answer - not even a wee bit and fully political at the expense of the immigrants - that is immoral. Both reds and blues see thru that.
The highest priority should be to address the Third World Countries with poor governments or tyrants holding to their counties. How to do that, I don't know. Threaten a war? Sanction these countries (likely will increase immigrants even more). You, Senators and Representatives, are the ones with resources - please set aside your political ambitions and address this problem honestly and with moral sensitivity. (Unfortunately, I can hear howls of "sure, sure that will happen".)
Alternatively, force all states to be sanctuaries. Supreme Court did with women so can states be sanctuaries. That way all states can handle the immigrants fairly and equally. Fed funds distributed to states should be based on # of immigrants send to each state and there should be a distribution formula to determine that.
Is it too much to ask for y'all to truly and address the issue instead of looking at the political aspect of them?
PBS is currently broadcasting a program titled "The U.S.and the Holocaust". Excellent program! Warning - Republicans will find it HIGHLY uncomfortable, especially Trump Republicans. Second part will be broadcast on Tuesday evening.
You lefties crack me up! Double standards, speak out both sides of your mouths, and hypocrits. It's easy to ignore something when you are hundreds of miles away from it, in your gated and walled communities, with your armed security and all. You say, "Welcome immigrants! We love diversity!" But when they show up at YOUR door, suddenly you aren't so much on "diversity."
Martha Vineyard has some of the richest people in America and they can't take care of 50 immigrants? I guess you all didn't see the residents of Martha's Vineyard bitching saying that "They cannot stay here. We have a housing crisis and don't have the things needed to take care of them. They will have to go elsewhere."
Or the migrant that spoke to Fox News, stating that "The border is open. We see people come in everyday illegally on tv. So we do the same."
Then you have CNN anchors comparing these governors to the holocaust. REALLY?! Bussing them on air conditioned busses to one of the most beautiful places, is like putting Jews in gas chambers?! 🤣
I'll tell you what. All of you place a call to your Congressman and tell them that you will personally take in, feed, cloth, and house at least one of these immigrants. Put your money where your hypocritical mouths are! Bet you don't care that much!
I wonder if their is an international brotherhood of 'coyotes', to discuss the means to profit from helpless people with promises that there was never any intent to keep.
Perhaps DeSantis, Duchey and Abbot should compete for leadership positions in the brotherhood.
I'm sure DeSantis prays to a God who would do the same. He must think he's solving problems & making a statement...he is! Now the good people of Florida see him for who he is, the shipped immigrants will be taken care of by a more compassionate Governor, and the only statement that needs to be made, will be his results at the polls.
This is what cowards do. It is a slime ball that flexes his muscles towards women, children and helpless adult men. Takes a real man to perform this act. Who would want a loser for your next Republican presidential candidate.
Garbage is what garbage does. Our Vichy-proud shit-poster for Trump is part of this despicable effort, in case you haven't noticed.
Lies, told often enough, become truth to the propagandized. Just look at Cult45 and our shit-poster's obsession with sexual grooming - which is complete bullshit.
https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2022/9/16/2123392/-Right-wing-smear-artists-baldly-lie-about-Idaho-public-schools-teaching-porn-literacy-to-children
"The American right’s entire agenda now is driven by a singular narrative: Liberals are evil. Not merely bad, but beyond-the-pale foul and unholy, demonically possessed and intent on destroying the nation. So all of their talking points and conspiracy theories revolve around generating fresh iterations of this narrative, whether it’s the QAnon claims that a cabal of globalists are abducting children and draining them of blood, or the more mainstream Fox News hysteria about (to use the most recent instances) “critical race theory,” or LGBTQ “groomers,” or children’s hospitals “mutilating” trans youth."
The residents of Martha's Vineyard have risen to challenge presented to them by the cynical play of Ron DeSantis. Their response to his action makes DeSantis look foolish and self serving. The truly sad and most disgusting part of this is the refusal by politicians to take action on immigration. Rather than function as human beings they see refugees and immigrants as political pawns. The insistence on "legal" immigration is disingenuous at best when there is no viable or functional legal path, and no political will, especially from the right wing, to create one. We are called to serve one another, and to care for and show love toward even those we consider our enemies. The residents of Martha's Vineyard have shown us what that means. They have lived out the command of Matthew 25:40.
Yes, it looks like the residence at Martha's Vineyard are VERY accepting of these 50 migrants!🤣
https://youtu.be/Di22YrVpt8k
A horrible, deceitful practice.
Just proof that DeSantis and Abbot are too darn lazy to show any compassion for these people for wanting a better and safer life. This whole situation just makes me sick at heart. This is NOT what our founding fathers wanted for this country. Wish to hades these greedy, racist, power mad, and egotisticle idiots would just lose it all. Their homes, money, and clout. Serve them right to be put on the receiving end of this particular stick.
Charge Abbott with murder.
There are laws against human trafficking. Why are they not being enforced? Putting people including children on buses to be transported across state lines for the purpose of disposing of them is criminal. If I put my children on a bus and sent them on a one-way trip to Texas I am quite sure I would have legal problems.
They are kidnappers and should be held accountable
This is a bullshit archiac tactic used by the racist of the past. both governors are weak men trying to play tough by pickings on the marginal citizens of this country. But Karma has way about herself!!
Millions of people cross the border illegally every year and it's only a problem when red states send them to blue cities/states. Don't claim "sanctuary city" status or that "no person is illegal" if you're not willing to put up your own money/resources to house, feed, and take care of these migrants yourself.
Every border city and state should be sharing the problem. Why should the border cities and states be penalized?
If congress did their job, this k8d may still be alive. They the blame at the door step of congress!
They need to hold Congress responsible, as all of us should, for their complete failure and lack of caring for any logical, sustainable, enforecealbe, immigration policy. All they like to do is blame the administration and other party. Disgusting and very sad. I am sure we have no idea how deaths are caused by the attemps to enter the US illegally. The two governors have blood on their hands too.
There so much hypocrisy on human trafficking this is human trafficking
Is anyone here a lawyer? Are there any charges that can stem from this girl's death? Reckless endangerment of a minor? Second-degree murder? Manslaughter? Color me curious.
While Abbott and DeSantis are small men who love to inflict pain on others, we also need to point fingers at Granger, Cruz and Cornyn who refuse to participate in any talks to craft a reasonable and workable immigration policy. Congress needs to stop grandstanding and pointing fingers and needs to get to work for a change.
no only this is cruel and uneccassary but for an elected official to act so cruely and inconcerned about another human being rather they come here illegally or of a differnt race and religion is unacceptable and they need to be investigaeted for theri crimes that they commit while in office
I am completely against this ridiculous and racist behavior.
There is a special place in hell for both of those guys. To quote the old Desi Arnaz line, they've got some 'splainin' to do.
Playing political games with human beings is DISGUSTING and gives evidence to the belief that they have NO MORAL COMPASS!
While I understand why Abbott might want to find another place for migrants to live with the overcrowding in Texas, busing people to another city without proper preparation or warning isn't the way to do it. Particularly when he only sends people to Democratic cities with the deliberate purpose of causing problems in those cities. What does he hope to gain besides being a trouble maker for other places? There is absolutely nothing he's done to actually reduce the number of people coming to Texas that is in any way helpful. Sticking it to Democrates is neither helpful or logical if he's actually serious about getting rid of a problem. Moving things from one room to another doesn't clean a house...
De Santis and Abbott are both despicable human beings.
Blood on Abbot's hands
Illegal!