Southern states’ controversial immigration policy

Immigrants flown from southern border to Martha’s Vineyard

COLIN MULLANEY / COPY EDITOR / THE USD VISTA

ALLIE LONGO / ASST. FEATURE EDITOR / THE USD VISTA

The Governors of Texas and Florida, Greg Abbott and Ron DeSantis respectively, transported 50 Latin American immigrants by plane from a shelter in San Antonio, Texas, to Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts. The relocation was part of a program funded by the Florida state legislature and taxpayers, NPR reported. A DeSantis spokesperson told NPR, “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.” When the immigrants arrived by plane in Martha’s Vineyard, the town was unprepared and had to rely on community leaders, churches and amateur translators to meet the unexpected demand for housing and basic accommodations.    

Democrat politicians, including Martha’s Vineyard representative Dylan Fernandes, have cited the actions of Florida and Texas as a calculated, political move deliberately aimed to overwhelm and publicly humiliate northern cities, who are often unequipped to handle large influxes of immigrants. Democrats believe the lack of notification preceding the immigrants’ arrival demonstrates a clear disregard for both the immigrants and the cities where they were sent. 

Others like the southern, republican state governors enacting the policy, believe that liberal enclaves like Martha’s Vineyard need to step up in their efforts to support immigrants, instead of claiming “sanctuary city” status for political clout. Republican lawmakers want to force northern cities to take responsibility for the unresolved humanitarian crisis unfolding along the southern border, through new efforts to relocate them thousands of miles north. 

USD junior Daniel Rosales is a resident of border city El Paso, Texas, and the son of two Mexican-American parents; Rosales believes that both Florida and his home state of Texas have lost sight of the humanity of the immigrants, in favor of making a political statement. 

“It’s just so petty. These are human beings caught up in a political game, being used as pawns. I feel like it’s extremely reductive of the immigrants who cross the border, to treat them like they are a problem that needs to be solved and a drain on the state’s resources, when they are all people with unique backgrounds and situations. If their immigration is affecting the states of Florida and Texas, then it’s up to those states to figure out what to do, not just pass it along to someone else in order to make a political statement.”  

Rosales was particularly concerned by the news that young children were among the immigrants sent to Massachusetts. 

“It’s especially problematic, because there are children involved.  Some  of  the  immigrants sent north were children, and they might not even be in contact with their parents. A lot of times ,kids who show up at the border unaccompanied have to wait to be reunited with family, and probably have no idea what is going on or where they are being sent. They are extremely vulnerable and usually end up detained at the border, like a facility an hour outside of my city,” Rosales said. 

USD junior Russell Gokemeijer took an Honors course during his first year entitled “Narratives of the Mexican-American Border.” The class shaped his perspective of the immigration system and its potential shortcomings.  

“A lot of times Mexico is portrayed in the media, like in ‘Breaking Bad,’ as being very dangerous and poor. As a result, Mexican people are seen as though they are also dangerous, and this hurts our willingness to accept more immigrants into the country. Whatever the situation is currently, I think we need to work to improve the legal immigration process, so that it’s much easier to come here legally, and we don’t end up with massive amounts of people stuck, with no other option than to cross the border illegally,” Gokemeijer stated.  

USD junior Sean McAllister lives in Wisconsin: a short drive from Chicago, where immigrants have also been recently bused from the south.

McAllister  seconded Gokemeijer’s  assessment  that  the legal immigration process needs to be expanded in order to prevent future, lose-lose situations like the one currently developing for immigrants and states alike.   

“It seems like living in the U.S. without any documentation would be very difficult, no matter which state they’re moving to. Would illegal immigrants even be able to get social security or insurance, or pay taxes? That’s why it should be easier to come here legally,” McAllister said. “It doesn’t seem fair to not give them a chance to establish and build themselves up here. Why are immigrants seen as a drain on resources, when they could also be seeking jobs and hoping to productively contribute to society?” 

Currently,  the  needs  of  the immigrants sent to Martha’s Vineyard are being met by local leaders.

It is unclear if any  long-term  arrangements  have  been    achieved. In the meantime, more groups of immigrants could continue to arrive in northern centers, unless  Florida  and  Texas’  policies are  challenged  and  overruled.