Migrants Can Sue Charter Flight Company That Transported Them To Martha's Vineyard

Lawyers representing immigrants transferred to Martha's Vineyard almost two years ago by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis now have the legal grounds to charge the charter flight company that helped their travel to the island near the Massachusetts coast.

A federal judge in Boston rendered this decision on Monday.

Immigrants Were Transferred by Air to Martha's Vineyard

These 50 Venezuelans were moved from San Antonio, Texas, with assurances of employment and housing opportunities upon approaching Martha's Vineyard.

The judge ruled that the complainants are allowed to seek legal action against Florida-based Vertol Systems Co. for agreeing to transfer them to Massachusetts at a cost of hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Additionally, the complainants are suing DeSantis, asserting that the scheme was a politically motivated maneuver to improve his public image.

Despite this, the court declared that it lacked jurisdiction over the governor and the other named people, who contested that the asserted actions happened in Florida and Texas, not Massachusetts.

Following Monday's ruling, the migrants are permitted to proceed with their lawsuit against Florida-based Vertol Systems Co., which had contracted to transport them to the island for a substantial sum.

Trying to obtain a response from Vertol Systems Co. regarding the ruling was unsuccessful at the time of its declaration.

Additionally, Governor DeSantis, who had formerly sought the Republican nomination for president but withdrew in January, is named in the lawsuit. However, the U.S. District Court of Massachusetts determined it lacked jurisdiction over DeSantis in this exact case.

Nevertheless, the court acknowledged evidence suggesting that Vertol and other defendants had deliberately targeted the plaintiffs because of their Latinx immigrant status.

Read Also: Pennsylvania City Welcomes Immigrants Amidst Growing National Tensions Over 'Sanctuary' Policies

DeSantis Administration Highlighting Legality of the Flights

The DeSantis administration highlighted that the court's order dismissed the state defendants, emphasizing the lawfulness of the flights, which were authorized by the Florida Legislature.

In response, Julia Friedland, the deputy press secretary for DeSantis, stated, "As we've always stated, the flights were conducted lawfully and authorized by the Florida Legislature."

Friedland expressed anticipation for future migrant relocation flights from Florida, intending to draw national attention to the southern border crisis.

Furthermore, the court criticized the actions of the defendants, stating that unlike legitimate ICE agents enforcing immigration laws, there was no legitimate purpose for rounding up vulnerable individuals under pretenses and thrusting them into a divisive national debate.

Iván Espinoza-Madrigal, executive director of Lawyers for Civil Rights, hailed the 77-page ruling as a significant triumph in the Martha's Vineyard case. He emphasized that the ruling underscores the accountability of private companies in aiding state actors in violating the rights of vulnerable immigrants through alleged illegal and fraudulent schemes.

While court records indicate that Florida transportation officials paid Vertol approximately $1.5 million for the Martha's Vineyard flights and potential future flights with similar objectives, the court held that the company could be held accountable because its aircraft landed in Massachusetts with at least one company employee on board.

Related Article: Mom Shares Her Experience Helping Immigrants Sent to Martha's Vineyard