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Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg called out Florida Republican Governor Ron DeSantis amid anger toward a recent political stunt in which DeSantis shipped migrants who'd arrived in Texas seeking asylum off to Massachusetts without letting them know where they were going.
Earlier this month, DeSantis sparked outrage after he took responsibility for shipping about 50 migrants—including families with young children—to Martha's Vineyard, Mass.
According to reports, the migrants were shipped from Texas after being told they were headed to Boston where they expected to receive expedited work permits. Instead, they were flown to Martha's Vineyard—a longtime New England summer vacation spot located just south of Cape Cod—and no one on the island nor in Massachusetts' Republican Governor's office had any advance notice of their arrival.
Islanders were praised for helping the asylum seekers, offering them food, shelter, and even healthcare.
Responding to the scandal, Buttigieg said that the stunt is "the kind you see from people who don’t have a solution" and nailed the real reason DeSantis did it:
“it is hurting people in order to get attention.”
You can hear Buttigieg's full remarks in the video below.
\u201c.@PeteButtigieg: "Obviously, there are issues with the border and with migration, but these are the kinds of stunts you see from people who don't have a solution. Governor DeSantis was in Congress. [...] What have any of these people done to be part of the solution?"\u201d— The Hill (@The Hill) 1663951696
Buttigieg said:
“These are the kind of stunts you see from people who don’t have a solution."
"Governor DeSantis was in Congress. Where was he when they were debating immigration reform? What have any of these people done to be part of the solution?"
“So, you know, I get that if you’re after attention… it’s one thing to call attention to a problem when you have a course of action… it’s another thing to call attention to a problem because the problem is actually more useful to you than the solution, and that helps you call attention to yourself."
"And that's what's going on and the problem is, it’s one thing if it was just people being obnoxious, but human beings are being impacted by that."
"You flee a communist regime in Venezuela, you come here, and then somebody tricks you—somebody using Florida taxpayer money for some reason—tricks you in going from Texas to Massachusetts.”
“It is not just ineffectual, it is hurting people in order to get attention.”
Many concurred with and praised Buttigieg for calling out DeSantis.
\u201cCruelty for sick political gain. So called pro-lifers using humans as foder for their insatiable need for power.\u201d— Dawn Ellen (@Dawn Ellen) 1664209291
\u201cPete Buttigieg continues to be Biden's best attack dog, always walking away unscathed. Calm, cool, educated on every issue. Here he makes the proverbial mincemeat of Ron DeSantis. You love to see it.\u201d— Victoria Brownworth (@Victoria Brownworth) 1664208385
\u201cNo one\u2014and I mean no one\u2014has ever so crisply, succinctly, and accurately nailed @GOP hypocrisy on border and immigration issues than @PeteButtigieg just did here. \u201cThe problem is more useful to them than the solution\u2026\u201d indeed.\u201d— Brian Normoyle (@Brian Normoyle) 1664193863
\u201cDamn this guy @PeteButtigieg is the cats PJ\u2019s he summed up in a NYC min exactly what the issue is & we need to be screaming this above the din, smoke & mirrors of the GOP. #FuturePOTUS\u201d— \ud83d\udc51 Princess B\ud83d\udc99Lib #Team @BrianTylerCohen (@\ud83d\udc51 Princess B\ud83d\udc99Lib #Team @BrianTylerCohen) 1664194506
\u201cWords of a future President.\u201d— Dapple (@Dapple) 1664198374
\u201cHe can run rings around DeSantis. He understands there\u2019s a problem waiting for a solution & the solution has nothing to do with taking immigrants & flying them around the country as a political stunt. Because that\u2019s all it was. Those people were helped when they landed in MA.\u201d— Barbara Federman (@Barbara Federman) 1664202614
\u201cExactly. Quick to point out and run on the issues but never, ever a solution from the R's.\u201d— Patty (@Patty) 1664204330
\u201cHis intelligence and ease at using words that hit hard without any vulgarity are impressive! \nHe deserves a great future in politics - the USA would benefit from his leadership!\u201d— Agn\u00e8s Hendryckx (@Agn\u00e8s Hendryckx) 1664205289
\u201cMan this guy has my vote all day long!\u201d— Fera Smith (@Fera Smith) 1664208121
DeSantis made clear he intends to use “every penny” of the $12 million his state budgeted to relocate migrants via bus and plane to liberal states he feels are not addressing immigration concerns at the nation's southern border.
DeSantis previously complained many migrants who cross the border into Texas end up in Florida. He stated Florida government employees are stationed in Texas to "profile" any migrants who might be headed to Florida.
Earlier, California Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom implored the Department of Justice (DOJ) to investigate whether the migrants were lured to Martha's Vineyard based on false promises of employment.