Sharpton says DeSantis and GOP are targeting ‘successful Blacks,’ ‘Black mayors’ with migrant relocation

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MSNBC contributor Rev. Al Sharpton theorized that Governor Ron DeSantis, R-Fla., is employing a racist strategy with his relocation of illegal immigrants to Martha’s Vineyard.

Appearing on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe,” Sharpton claimed that DeSantis’ move is like how segregationists bussed African Americans away from their towns with the false promise they would be speaking to President John F. Kennedy about their civil rights concerns. 

The reverend also argued that DeSantis and other GOP leaders have been purposefully targeting successful Black Americans and Black mayors with these migrant relocations into their cities.

MARTHA’S VINEYARD’S ‘HUMANITARIAN CRISIS’ STATEMENT RIDICULED AFTER DESANTIS SENDS ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS

Rev. Al Sharpton speaks to the MSNBC “Morning Joe” co-hosts about Gov. Ron DeSantis, R-Fla., and his strategy to harass “successful blacks” by flooding their cities with illegal immigrants. 

The Friday “Morning Joe” segment began with co-host Joe Scarborough bashing conservatives for endorsing the governor’s order and passing it on to Sharpton for comment. 

Sharpton began by comparing DeSantis’ relocation to pro-segregationists relocating Black people from their communities in the ‘60s. “During the fight around segregation,” he began, “the segregationists bussed people to Massachusetts to say, uh, ‘You gonna meet with John Kennedy,” and they told the blacks there, ‘You’re gonna meet with President John Kennedy and you’re going to get a discussion about the things that you’re concerned about.’”

As Sharpton recalled, the move was a lie on behalf of segregationists to get these people out of their communities. He explained, “And it was a bogus trip. They got to Massachusetts, there was no John Kennedy, there was no discussion.”

He then claimed DeSantis and other GOP leaders are doing the same thing when they’re moving migrants from their communities to others. “And they’re using these migrants in the same way with the same false promises,” he stated.

DEMOCRATS’ HYPOCRISY OVER MIGRANT FLIGHTS CALLED OUT BY GOP LAWMAKER: IT’S OK IF THEY DO IT 

Illegal immigrants arrive at Martha’s Vineyard Airport from Florida on Wednesday. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on Wednesday flew two planes of immigrants to Martha’s Vineyard, escalating a tactic by Republican governors to draw attention to what they consider to be the Biden administration’s failed border policies. (AP)

Sharpton then went so far as to suggest that GOP lawmakers are moving illegal immigrants to new cities to specifically harass the Black people living there. “It’s also interesting that they’re going to Martha’s Vineyard, which is known as a resort for successful Blacks,” he claimed, adding, “The most well-known person there now is Barack Obama.”

“And they’ve targeted three cities,” he continued, “Chicago, Washington D.C. and New York [City], all with Black Mayors.”

He concluded his commentary, stating, “So a lot of little racial notation ought to be raised here on what they did that reminds me of the segregationist strategy in the 60s of using busses, and now we’re seeing mayors being overwhelmed by this.”

Though he did admit, “This does not take away from the fact that we have legitimate problems at the border, the border is not secure.” However, he described the GOP response to this problem as “troubling to me.”

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Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis spoke about sending migrants to Martha’s Vineyard in Massachusetts, Thursday, Sept. 15, 2022. (WEAR via NNS)

Gabriel Hays is an associate editor at Fox News. Follow him on Twitter at @gabrieljhays.