Judge OKs suit against company that flew migrants to Martha’s Vineyard

[LAUREN TAYLOR]

A FEDERAL JUDGE IN BOSTON RULED MIGRANTS FLOWN TO MARTHA’S VINEYARD BY FLORIDA GOVERNOR RON DESANTIS NEARLY TWO YEARS AGO HAVE THE RIGHT TO SUE THE CHARTER COMPANY RESPONSIBLE FOR THEIR TRANSPORTATION TO THE MASSACHUSETTS ISLAND.

THE LAWSUIT, FILED BY THREE VENEZUELAN MIGRANTS AND AN IMMIGRANT RIGHTS GROUP, ACCUSES FLORIDA GOVERNOR RON DESANTIS’S ADMINISTRATION AND VERTOL SYSTEMS CO. OF MISLEADING THEM WITH FALSE PROMISES OF WORK AND HOUSING WHILE VIOLATING THEIR CIVIL RIGHTS.

THE JUDGE’S ORDER ALLOWS THE CASE AGAINST VERTOL TO CONTINUE, CRITIQUING THE SCHEME FOR USING VULNERABLE INDIVIDUALS IN A NATIONAL DEBATE WITHOUT A LEGITIMATE PURPOSE.

THE LAWSUIT NAMES DESANTIS, SEVERAL SENIOR FLORIDA OFFICIALS AND A WOMAN FROM FLORIDA WHO IS ACCUSED OF ACTING AS THE RECRUITER FOR THE VENEZUELAN MIGRANTS. HOWEVER, THE DISTRICT COURT OF MASSACHUSETTS STATED IT LACKS JURISDICTION OVER THOSE INDIVIDUALS NAMED IN THIS MATTER.

LAWYERS FOR CIVIL RIGHTS, WHICH REPRESENTS THE MIGRANTS, CALLED THE 77-PAGE RULING A SIGNIFICANT VICTORY.

JULIA FRIEDLAND, DEPUTY PRESS SECRETARY FOR GOVERNOR DESANTIS, STATED THAT THE FLIGHTS WERE LEGALLY CONDUCTED AND THE TEAM IS EAGERLY ANTICIPATING THE NEXT IMMIGRANT RELOCATION FLIGHT.