Judging by the intensity of the Left’s indignation over Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’s decision to fly four dozen immigrants to Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts, last week, it’s safe to say he struck a nerve.
DeSantis’s move, which was part of a larger effort by Republican leaders to share border towns’ burden with liberal parts of the country, was a masterstroke. Unless you live in one of the Texas and Arizona towns that accommodate hundreds of new immigrants every day, it’s relatively easy to forget how dire the crisis has become.
Democrats want it to stay that way. After all, it’s so much easier to support the Biden administration’s reckless immigration policies when you are insulated from the consequences.
But the migrant buses popping up in liberal enclaves, from New York City to Vice President Kamala Harris’s Naval Observatory residence last week, have captured the public’s attention. They’ve helped bring the issue of this administration’s refusal to enforce U.S. immigration laws to center stage.
So, too, have liberal politicians’ reactions to the influx of immigrants into their self-described sanctuary cities. The arrival of the migrants in Martha’s Vineyard, for example, sent community officials into panic mode. Given officials’ rhetoric, including the absurd declaration of a “humanitarian crisis,” one would be forgiven for thinking a serious calamity had struck the island paradise.
The Island Wide Regional Emergency Management issued a statement that read: “Town Emergency Management Operations from the six Island towns and the Sheriff’s Office, as well as County Management are actively collaborating to develop a coordinated regional response.” Additionally, they “reached out to our State and Federal partners for additional and long-term support and assistance.”
Ultimately, Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker, a Republican, saved the day by activating the state’s National Guard. The troops transported the immigrants off the island and placed them in military barracks at Joint Base Cape Cod after just 24 hours. Keep in mind that only 48 immigrants were involved — an infinitesimal fraction of the thousands of illegal immigrants who pour over our open southern border every day.
Democrats were, of course, incensed with DeSantis. They claimed the Florida governor had used human beings as political pawns and even compared his shipping of immigrants to the East Coast as “human trafficking.” This latter accusation is ridiculous for multiple reasons, the most important being that President Joe Biden himself has been shipping immigrants from the southern border to various parts of the country via secretive late-night flights for months.
But Democrats managed to make an important point about the border crisis, albeit inadvertently. They argued Martha’s Vineyard lacked the resources to handle even 48 migrants despite the fact that it is home to some of the wealthiest people in the country. This might very well be true. And if it is, why should we assume that the small towns along the southern border are any more capable of processing thousands of immigrants every week?
As Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) tweeted, “If 50 constitutes a humanitarian crisis in Martha’s Vineyard, what the hell is 4.2 MILLION?”
According to Cruz and numerous other sources, 4.2 million immigrants have entered the United States illegally since Biden was elected. If no action is taken, by the end of his first (and hopefully only) term, that number could easily top 8 million.
This is a crisis that affects everyone — whether they realize it or not. The cartels have gained power and wealth and are said to be running the border. The massive quantities of dangerous drugs being smuggled into the country have made overdose deaths the leading cause of death among those aged 18 to 45. The border is not secure, no matter how often Democrats like Harris try to claim otherwise.
That Democrats are outraged over having to admit immigrants into their “sanctuary cities” is laughable. But it also shows that Republicans’ busing strategy is working: They are drawing attention to a very real crisis and forcing the people responsible for it to start living with the consequences.
DeSantis, Abbott, and other Republicans should make it clear that the buses will not stop running until every last Democrat is begging Biden to build the wall along the border himself. Our immigration policies must change. After all, if one of the wealthiest parts of the country can’t afford the costs of illegal immigration, why should we expect the rest of the country to fare any better?
Elizabeth Stauffer is a contributor to the Washington Examiner and the Western Journal. Her articles have appeared on many websites, including MSN, RedState, Newsmax, the Federalist, and RealClearPolitics. Follow her on Twitter or LinkedIn.
