CNN
Attorneys for many of the nearly 50 migrants who landed unexpectedly in Martha’s Vineyard said Monday that brochures given to their clients were “highly misleading” and “used to entice (their) clients to travel under the guise that (resettlement) support was available to them.”
The brochure lists refugee services, including cash and housing assistance, clothing, transportation to job interviews, job training and assistance registering children for school, among other resources.
One Venezuelan migrant, who spoke to CNN on the condition of anonymity for fear of negative impacts on their immigration case, shared images of the brochure. They said migrants were told that the brochure had information on the assistance they would receive in Massachusetts, but they were not told about the differences in programs for refugees and asylum seekers.
Migrants are, in many cases, asylum seekers, not refugees. Refugees apply for protection overseas and are admitted through the refugee admissions program, whereas asylum seekers apply within the United States.
The asylum seekers, whom local officials believe originated from Venezuela, arrived in Martha’s Vineyard Wednesday, flying in from Texas under arrangements made by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. DeSantis, who is up for reelection this year, said he wanted to call attention to the border crisis. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott – another Republican with a reelection bid – has bused thousands of migrants to New York and Washington, DC, throughout the summer to also highlight his criticism of the Biden administration’s immigration policies.
DeSantis’ move was sharply denounced by the White House, Democratic officials and immigration lawyers who say the migrants were misled about their final destination.
In a Friday news conference, DeSantis said that everyone signed waivers and knew where they were going. “It’s obvious that’s where they were going,” he said, adding, “It’s all voluntary.”
‘Massachusetts Welcomes You’
The brochure, which has now been posted online by the legal group representing many of the cases, features a photo of what appears to be a road sign that reads “Massachusetts Welcomes You” and a photo of a nondescript lighthouse. It also provides a brief summary of what resettlement agencies may be able to do for refugees, in both English and Spanish text.
The brochure also lists the telephone number for the Massachusetts Office for Refugees and Immigrants, which told CNN this is not a document published by their office.
The front includes a picture of the state of Massachusetts and a list of community services agencies located on Martha’s Vineyard and at least one on Cape Cod.
The list includes the number for Martha’s Vineyard Community Services – which ultimately received the migrants and helped them find initial housing in a church on the island.
Oren Sellstrom, the litigation director for Lawyers for Civil Rights Boston, which is representing many of the migrants, said his clients left Texas expecting to have everything promoted in the brochure waiting for them once they landed.
Connect with us on our socials: