Readers react to Gov. DeSantis flying immigrants to Martha’s Vineyard

Governor shows his arrogance

I have to say that Mr. DeSantis has outdone himself this time around. Sending immigrants, illegal or otherwise to a sanctuary city proved what governor? That you and Greg Abbott of Texas think treating human beings like cargo and shipping them off to another city/state accomplishes something? What you have done is strip any dignity and pride from these immigrants for your dog and pony show. You sir, in my humble opinion, are a disgusting human being. You represent the entire constituency of Florida, Republicans, Democrats and Independents. What you have done is no different than what slave traders did.

It was nice of you though to fly them out instead of busing them out, by the way, who paid for that? Money from the state budget or out of your pocket. Does the State of Florida have an Immigration Department with a secretary who would handle immigration issues? Why didn’t that department handle these Venezuelan emigrants? Why did you have to grandstand on this issue? You have only shown how arrogant you are.

I am sure there are many readers who will agree with this deplorable treatment but I ask them to think of their relatives who immigrated here from another country before they vote in November.

Francis Zigo, Cape Coral

Horrified by shameful stunt

I am actually horrified at reports that our Gov. DeSantis would send 15 immigrant refugees to Martha’s Vineyard by plane this week. Seriously? How could he use Florida funds for this shameful stunt? Florida has many places that need and would willingly accept these immigrants. As a leader of our State of Florida running for governor and president, does he expect that this will reflect favorably on him? Does he have any understanding of the struggling masses of humanity “yearning to breathe free”? As a Christian, is he familiar with the words “do unto others as you would have them do unto you”? What kind of mindset and advice would lead a person to make a decision to think his action is acceptable? Florida deserves better than this!

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Cynthia Cromwell, Naples

Hold the negative comments

I believe that all negative comments regarding the movement of illegal immigrants to Martha’s Vineyard should cease. We instead should look at this as an opportunity to learn from the liberal elites as to how they resolve their affordable housing issue caused by this action and let that be a blueprint for the rest of the country.

Don Rader, Naples

Poor leadership, judgment

DeSantis has used Florida taxpayer funds for yet another of his political stunts by sending 48 Venezuelan migrants to Martha’s Island.

Will the kindness of year-round residents there show what DeSantis does not have, namely a heart or an ounce of human dignity — very likely.

Is he providing them with winter clothes to survive the harsh winters there? — not likely.

Can they gain employment where many businesses close for the winter? — not likely.

Could he provide some funds from the $50,000 a plate dinner he had in nearby Nantucket to feed them? — not likely.

From Florida leading the country in COVID deaths, to several political stunts, to literally giving the cold shoulder to these folks, his resume is filled with poor leadership and judgment.

Bill Abrahamsen, Bonita Springs

Governor does the right thing

Thank you Gov. DeSantis for doing the right thing and shipping out some of the illegal aliens dumped in Florida by the Biden administration.

High time for the sanctuary cities and states to absorb their fair share.

Michael Adler, Miromar Lakes

Grandstanding costs the state

As a Florida taxpayer, I’m fed up with footing the bill for Gov. DeSantis’ campaign stunts. Every press conference the man stages turns into a stump speech where he refuses to answer any questions. He’s spent his entire first term advancing his authoritarian agenda, turning schools into political battlegrounds, seeking to legislate his version of morality, or retaliating against companies and people who dare publicly disagree with him while letting actual important issues like water quality, homeowners insurance and affordable housing go unaddressed.

All of these culture war policies and laws have led to a heckuva lot of lawsuits and who is footing the bill for those? Floridians. It would be interesting to see just how much his grandstanding has cost the state.

Now he’s pulled yet another stunt that does nothing but cost our state money. Since I guess there were not enough immigrants in Florida, Rob decided to use our money to charter two planes to fly immigrants from TEXAS to Martha’s Vineyard. If he wants to pull campaign stunts like this he needs to cover the cost out of his own pocket.

We need a governor who addresses REAL issues that impact Floridians, not serve as a travel agent for immigrants from another state. Dump this grifter.

Joyce Bunting, Fort Myers

New motto to replace Statue of Liberty

OK. Let’s take it down. The Statue of Liberty:

“Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, the wretched refuse of your teeming shore, send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me; I lift my lamp beside the golden door.” (author Emma Lazarus)

Let’s replace it with a new motto: let’s install a wall:

Enter only with a Ph.D in Science (no, SO sorry: we don’t trust science); Enter with a flush bank account (no, no, sorry: this might be drug money — criminals crossing the border); Enter with nothing! (no; go home! There are enough with nothing here on our shores — hence, we have our own homeless). Enter with a bachelor of arts degree (no, sorry. You might be a socialist) Enter with a sad story, such as gangs are running our country and killing and threatening our families (Sorry, the gangs here aren’t particularly friendly, either).

GO HOME, LOSER!

Patty Duncan, Fort Myers

Shame on us as a state!

Jesus said — “when you do it to the least of them — you do it unto me.”

Obviously Gov. DeSantis either hasn’t heard that message or chooses to ignore it!

Instead of spending the state’s money to help these migrants get settled and employed, he spends the money to load them on an airplane and ship them off to another area’s responsibility! We need these people as employees — we can train them, hire them and help them become good citizens.

It’s a disgrace! Shame on us as a state!

Franklin C. Warner, Fort Myers

No compassion or humanity

Open letter to Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis:

Dear Sir, you have either lost your mind or you have no compassion or humanity towards your fellow man. Do you not realize that you appear as a complete buffoon? In sending 50 migrants to Martha’s Vineyard you have sealed your fate. You are hereby ordered to step down as governor and you are to never hold a position of public trust in any office — local, state or national.

Stephen R. McLean, Arden, NC and Naples

Abuse of taxpayer money

Gov. DeSantis has abused taxpayer money to human traffic migrants from another state to Martha’s Vineyard all as a political stunt. Migrants, packed up like livestock, were shipped off without knowing where they were going to a destination grossly unprepared to accommodate them and without advanced notice.

Tyler Strider, Cape Coral

Red meat for racist, xenophobic base

Gov. DeSantis used Florida state tax dollars to fly migrants from Texas to Martha’s Vineyard. That constitutes “misappropriation of public funds.” The money should have been applied to our woefully inadequate infrastructure instead of throwing away tax dollars to appeal to his racist, xenophobic base.

Somewhere along the line, the Republican Party became the party of liars and cheaters, the party of greed and corruption. Their vision is of a lawless land where those in power wield merciless control over the people, enslave and impoverish them, and grab all the resources for themselves and their corporate contributors.

Steve Wolfson, Fort Myers

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This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: Reaction: Florida Gov. DeSantis flying immigrants to Martha’s Vineyard