Migrants who have been traveled from Texas to Martha’s Winery, Massachusetts, within new program by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis sued DeSantis, a Republican, along with other condition officials Tuesday, alleging these were victims of fraud for political purposes.
Alianza Americas, a Chicago-based network of migrant-brought organizations, and three migrants who arrived in Massachusetts a week ago on flights chartered by Florida accused DeSantis and the co-defendants of executing “a premeditated, fraudulent, and illegal plan … for that sole reason for evolving their own individual, financial and political interests.”
Within the suit, which seeks class-action status in Massachusetts federal court, the plaintiffs allege the “ruse” – which DeSantis claimed credit for within his effort to focus on illegal immigration – violated constitutional protections underneath the 4th and Fourteenth Amendments and many federal statutes.
Additionally to seeking damages, they’re also asking a legal court to bar DeSantis yet others named within the suit from “inducing immigrants to visit across condition lines by fraud and misrepresentation.”
The suit further argues the money DeSantis used was unauthorized since it “originated in the federal Coronavirus Condition Fiscal Recovery Fund and it was therefore susceptible to its use limitations.”
The suit alleges the plan involved DeSantis along with other Florida officials labored with unknown defendants to recognize and target migrants by “trolling roads” outdoors a migrant shelter in Dallas along with other locales and they lured roughly 50 migrants with Burger king gift cards and free hotel stays, using the promise when they boarded planes with other states they’d get jobs, housing, educational possibilities along with other assistance upon arrival.
Defendants spent $615,000 chartering the planes and told the migrants these were flying to Boston or Washington, D.C., however they were rather delivered to Martha’s Winery without food, water or shelter, based on the suit.
