Delaware braces for migrant flight in U.S. political standoff
Last edited Tue Sep 20, 2022, 09:39 PM - Edit history (2)
Source: Reuters
GEORGETOWN, Del., Sept 20 (Reuters) - Local government officials, advocates and reporters swarmed a small coastal airport near President Joe Biden's vacation home in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, on Tuesday in anticipation of a possible flight carrying migrants from Texas. Flight tracking websites showed a scheduled flight set to leave San Antonio, Texas, heading to Georgetown, Delaware, on Tuesday chartered by the same company that was used by Florida's Republican governor Ron DeSantis to send migrants to the wealthy island of Martha's Vineyard last week.
But later in the day, the flight trackers showed the plane no longer going to San Antonio or Georgetown, and instead heading to Nashville. It was unclear what had caused the route change or if there were migrants on board. DeSantis previously took credit for a pair of planes that dropped off nearly 50 migrants, mostly from Venezuela, on the island in Massachusetts with no warning and said he planned additional actions. But on Tuesday, he would not confirm any information about a possible flight to Delaware.
Asked at the White House about his reaction to the possibility of DeSantis sending migrants near his Delaware beach house, Biden - a Democrat - told reporters the Florida governor "should come visit. We have a beautiful shoreline." The White House said it would work with state and local authorities to help migrants if they arrived, while condemning the incident as a "political stunt."
DeSantis, who is up for re-election in November and seen as a possible presidential contender in 2024, joined Republican governors from Texas and Arizona in sending migrants to Democratic-controlled cities, in an effort to criticize the Biden administration's handling of the U.S.-Mexico border where there have been a record number of crossings.
Read more: https://www.reuters.com/world/us/white-house-says-aware-migrant-flight-near-bidens-delaware-beach-house-2022-09-20/
Saw a Philly Inquirer article this evening that alerted to the "change in plans" and no flight arrived in Delaware today (so far).
by Jeff Gammage, Marina Affo, and Ximena Conde
Updated 3 hours ago
GEORGETOWN, Del. — In the end it was the saga of a plane that never arrived, a supposed Republican effort to poke President Joe Biden by sending a group of undocumented immigrants to the doorstep of his vacation home. The plane landed in Tennessee instead. In the meantime, the flight set off a full response by state government authorities, drew pained comment from the White House, and brought immigration advocates rushing to help from around Delaware and even from Baltimore. News organizations including The Inquirer, the New York Times, and National Public Radio sent reporters to the airfield, all eventually to discover that nothing was happening.
“It is very hard to see how our community continues to be manipulated,” said Rossana Arteaga-Lopenza, who had been at the Delaware Coastal Airport most of the day, as a volunteer for Casa de Venezuela Delaware. Before that ending became evident, text messages flew among local attorneys and activists, alerting people about plans to open a shelter here in Georgetown. Calls went out for nurses, nurse technicians, and other volunteers to help. People requested volunteer attorneys to assist migrants who are pursuing asylum, a process that is invariably long, expensive and uncertain — and completely legal.
Delaware state authorities sprang, from the governor’s office on down, ready to assist a plane that was believed to be carrying migrants who would need care, food, and housing on arrival. The flight was thought to be directed by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who recently sent about 50 mostly Venezuelan migrants from San Antonio, Texas, to Martha’s Vineyard in Massachusetts, with a stop in Florida. The Tuesday drama began with a Twitter report that showed one of the planes that DeSantis used to send people to Martha’s Vineyard was scheduled to travel to Delaware, coming from Florida after originating in Texas.
At midday, Delaware Gov. John Carney’s spokesperson said the office was preparing for the unannounced arrival of migrants. The governor was working with Delaware Health and Social Services, the Delaware Emergency Management Agency, community organizations, and others to provide support. “We are coordinating with federal officials and are prepared to welcome these families in an orderly manner as they pursue their asylum claims,” said spokesperson Emily David Hershman. Asked at the White House about reports that DeSantis could be sending a flight, Biden told reporters: “He should come visit. We have a beautiful shoreline.”
(snip)
https://www.inquirer.com/politics/delaware-plane-migrants-immigrants-ron-desantis-joe-biden-20220920.html
Earlier short article. Article and headline now updated.
Last Reuters update and headline -
GEORGETOWN, Del., Sept 20 (Reuters) - The White House on Tuesday said it was aware of reports of a flight carrying migrants to an area near President Joe Biden's vacation home in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, and would work with state and local officials to help the migrants if they arrived, while condemning it as a "political stunt."
Florida's Republican Governor Ron DeSantis did not confirm reports of the flight on Tuesday nor did he indicate if he was behind the action. Last week, he took credit for a pair of planes that dropped off nearly 50 migrants, mostly from Venezuela, on the wealthy vacation island of Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts, with no warning.
Asked at the White House about his reaction to the possibility of DeSantis sending migrants near his Delaware beach house, Biden told reporters, "He should come visit. We have a beautiful shoreline." The White House said it was coordinating closely with local officials and had received no heads up from DeSantis, with spokesperson Karine Jean-Pierre saying "his only goal is to create chaos." She called the moves "political theater" and a "cruel, premeditated political stunt"
DeSantis, who is up for re-election in November and seen as a possible presidential contender in 2024, joins Republican governors from Texas and Arizona in sending migrants to Democratic-controlled cities, in an effort to criticize the Biden administration's handling of the U.S.-Mexico border where there have been a record number of crossings.
Original article and headline -
WASHINGTON, Sept 20 (Reuters) - The White House on Tuesday said it was aware of a reported flight of migrants to an area near President Joe Biden's vacation home in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, and was working with state and local officials to help the migrants.
White House spokesperson Karine Jean-Pierre called recent flights of migrants to Delaware, Martha's Vineyard and outside Vice President Kamala Harris's residence in Washington a "political stunt" by Republican governors.
"We've been in close contact with Delaware officials" about providing shelter and aid to the migrants, she added.
= new reply since forum marked as read
throw everything into disarray and chaos to turn people off from paying attention to politics.
Thankfully the J6 Committee has set its sights on him.
Gingrich was invited to show up this week to interview with the Committee but I expect he'll blow it off and they'll have to do the next step and subpoena him.
Meanwhile these GOP loons in TX, FL, and apparently even AZ, where Doug Ducey isn't getting the attention he apparently deserves for doing the same thing, are trying to do their "Squirrel!!!" acts to distract from a tightening noose.
Hopefully their sideshow will end up as a big fail.
Lol juggling fail.
Glad J6 folks are onto him!
Just as ruskie assets in govt positions & tfg should be locked up pending investigations.
