OPINION: This article may contain commentary which reflects the author's opinion.
A former Democratic state Senate leader in California ripped her own party while throwing Florida GOP Gov. Ron DeSantis some praise on Saturday in an op-ed published by the UK’s Daily Mail.
“More than two million undocumented immigrants will be arrested trying to cross into the U.S. in 2022. And Democrats don’t bat an eye,” Gloria Romero wrote. “But fly 50 migrants to one of the wealthiest places in America, spotted with multi-million dollar mansions, surrounded by the mega-yachts of the rich and famous and Democrats lose their minds? What a joke!”
The op-ed comes days after DeSantis sent a plane load of illegal migrants to the wealthy liberal enclave of Martha’s Vineyard in Massachusetts, where several notable Americans including former President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama have multimillion-dollar mansions.
DeSantis, along with fellow GOP governors Doug Ducey in Arizona and Greg Abbott in Texas have been busing illegal immigrants to Democrat-run “sanctuary” cities for months, including Washington, D.C., New York City, and Chicago — the leaders of whom have repeatedly criticized the effort, leading to calls of hypocrisy.
“I am a Democrat and the former Majority Leader of the California State Senate. The first woman to ever hold that position. I am also a proud Latina. I am telling you that if the Democratic party thinks that Latinos are outraged by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis sending migrants to Martha’s Vineyard – they are dead wrong!” she said.
“This Democratic stronghold — where the Obamas now reside — couldn’t stomach having 50 brown migrants in their midst without declaring an emergency and shipping them out of town within 24 hours,” the former California State Senator said. “Liberals want open borders – just not in their immaculate backyards.”
Reports said that the migrants were on the island for less than 48 hours before around 125 National Guard troops were activated while officials arranged for the migrants to be bused to a military base at Cape Cod.
Buses have arrived in Edgartown to transport migrants from St. Andrew’s Parish House.
There is one big bus and two shorter buses to transport folks off the island. People with bags are taking selfies and hugging volunteers goodbye pic.twitter.com/wuauiZM4Y3
— Samantha J. Gross (@samanthajgross) September 16, 2022
Others have also pointed to Democratic hypocrisy regarding the migrants after they criticized former President Donald Trump’s strict immigration and border enforcement policies for years.
“It took less than 24 hours for the libs to kick these illegal immigrants out of Martha’s Vineyard, but Biden won’t lift a finger to deport the thousands of illegals pouring through the southern border daily out of the country,” Donald Trump Jr. said.
New York Times columnist Ross Douthat observed that DeSantis’ point of sending the migrants to Martha’s Vineyard was to “provoke a huge mobilization” from the National Guard to “imply a contrast with a liberal White House failing to help border communities dealing with a far larger influx.”
“DeSantis really exposed these hypocrites,” said popular YouTuber Tim Pool, of “Timcast.”
“I thought Martha’s Vineyard was a ‘sanctuary city’?” Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) ridiculed. “I thought they declared themselves a ‘haven’ for illegal immigrants?? Just 50 arrive, and the socialist billionaires send them away—to a military base, no less—in JUST 24 hours.”
“Something, something ‘In this house we believe…’ Something, something…Ukraine flag,” Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt (R), the GOP nominee for retiring Sen. Roy Blunt’s (R) seat, responded. “In the end, the Leftist liberal elite anthem is a word salad of virtue signaling defined by next level hypocrisy.”
“Unfreakingbelievable,” wrote attorney A.J. Delgado on Twitter. “Are all the virtue-signaling posts, about how ‘we took them in, we stepped up and came together to help!’ going to be removed now?”
Unfreakingbelievable.
Are all the virtue-signaling posts, about how "we took them in, we stepped up and came together to help!" going to be removed now? https://t.co/fiE2bkzk1k
— A.J. Delgado (@AJDelgado13) September 16, 2022
“The wealthy elites on the Vineyard couldn’t stand to have the undesirables there for more than 2 days, so they shipped them off to a military base,” former Trump administration official Monica Crowley added on Twitter. “Someone else’s problem now. Back to the Chardonnay!”
Fighter Jon Fitch observed: “Martha’s Vineyard might be the most racist place in America. They called the national guard over 50 non-white people. Gross.”
“Whatever the surrounding circumstances, calling in the National Guard for 50 people really does look terrible. It’s also awful to see people marched past the cameras. This whole stunt is dehumanizing and humiliating,” New York Times “Women’s Work” writer Megan K. Stack tweeted.
Whatever the surrounding circumstances, calling in the National Guard for 50 people really does look terrible.
It's also awful to see people marched past the cameras. This whole stunt is dehumanizing and humiliating. https://t.co/lilRRjg1ge
— Megan K. Stack (@Megankstack) September 16, 2022
