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

Apr 2

Lauren Taylor Anchor

By Lauren Taylor (Anchor), William Jackson (Producer), Jake Maslo (Video Editor)

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A federal judge in Boston ruled Monday, April 1, that migrants flown to Martha’s Vineyard by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis nearly two years ago can proceed with a lawsuit against the charter company responsible for their transportation to the Massachusetts island. The lawsuit, brought by three Venezuelan migrants and an immigrant rights group, accuses DeSantis’ administration and Vertol Systems Co. of deceiving them with false promises of employment and housing, thereby infringing upon their civil rights.

The judge’s decision permits the lawsuit against Vertol to move forward, criticizing the operation for exploiting vulnerable individuals for a political debate without valid justification.

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Named in the lawsuit are DeSantis, various high-ranking Florida officials, and a Florida woman alleged to have recruited the Venezuelan migrants. However, the Massachusetts District Court noted it does not have jurisdiction over these individuals.

Lawyers for Civil Rights, representing the migrants, hailed the 77-page decision as a major win.

“The favorable ruling is a major victory in the Martha’s Vineyard case, and it sends a crucial message: private companies can — and will — be held accountable for helping rogue state actors violate the rights of vulnerable immigrants through illegal and fraudulent schemes,” said…
— Lawyers for Civil Rights (@LCRBOSTON) April 1, 2024

Julia Friedland, deputy press secretary for DeSantis, remarked that the relocation flights were conducted within legal bounds and expressed anticipation for future immigrant relocation efforts.

Tags: Immigration, Lawsuit, Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts, migrants, Ron DeSantis, Venezuela

[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.