# Republican “migrants stunt”
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republican-migrants-stunt/971656
**Category:** Politics & Elections
**Created:** [September 16, 2022, 8:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republican-migrants-stunt/971656 "2022-09-16T08:04:18Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Kyomara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kyomara)
#### Post date: [September 16, 2022, 8:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republican-migrants-stunt/971656/1 "2022-09-16T08:04:18Z")
In a nutshell, my question is: What is actually happening in border towns, and does it in anyway validate Texas and Florida bussing and flying migrants to New York and Massachusetts?
Long version:
As you might have heard, Texas and Florida governors Abbot and DeSantis have in recent weeks been sending scores of recently arrived migrants to what they snidely refer to as “sanctuary states/cities.” The idea seems to be that border states are overwhelmed with caring for migrants, while “liberal” states talk big about racist Republicans, but really are shielded from the realities of life in border towns and the severity of the immigration crisis.
This is obviously a political stunt, but it’s reminded me how little I actually know about the situation at the border. I’ve always assumed that things don’t really much change from administration to administration, and that conservative complaining about the border is more about a manufactured nationalist concern than it is an actual crisis.
But, political stunts aside, **what is happening down there, is it actually any better or worse than it’s ever been, and do DeSantis et al have any point at all?**
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### Author:  [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)
#### Post date: [September 16, 2022, 9:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republican-migrants-stunt/971656/2 "2022-09-16T09:32:31Z")
I live 60 miles from the border, there is no crisis, this is all political b\*\*\*\*\*\*\* perpetuated by evil people.
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### Author:  [@mbh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mbh)
#### Post date: [September 16, 2022, 9:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republican-migrants-stunt/971656/3 "2022-09-16T09:58:42Z")
I live 40 miles from the border, and the main reason we don’t have a problem is that the migrants don’t stop here. They want to go to the interior of the country.
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### Author:  [@Nayna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nayna)
#### Post date: [September 16, 2022, 10:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republican-migrants-stunt/971656/4 "2022-09-16T10:00:24Z")
The migrants that DeSantis flew to Martha’s Vineyard weren’t even flying from Florida, but from Texas. They’re all stunts, but that one was especially so.
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### Author:  [@mbh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mbh)
#### Post date: [September 16, 2022, 10:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republican-migrants-stunt/971656/5 "2022-09-16T10:04:43Z")
New York and DC ostentatiously proclaimed themselves to be Sanctuary Cities. El Paso and Eagle Pass did not. What’s wrong with making the Sanctuaries put their money where their mouths are?
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### Author:  [@Nayna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nayna)
#### Post date: [September 16, 2022, 10:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republican-migrants-stunt/971656/6 "2022-09-16T10:12:08Z")
Please. Speaking only of DeSantis’ recent stunt: the migrants were lied to about their destination and dumped on a northeast island offseason without notifying anybody there.
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### Author:  [@Crafter\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crafter_Man)
#### Post date: [September 16, 2022, 10:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republican-migrants-stunt/971656/7 "2022-09-16T10:31:38Z")
If it’s a Sanctuary City, then they should welcome them, regardless of anything else.
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### Author:  [@chela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chela)
#### Post date: [September 16, 2022, 10:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republican-migrants-stunt/971656/8 "2022-09-16T10:32:19Z")
That’s why I was wondering about them. Are they newly arrived to Florida and how did they get there from Venezuela? But you say they arrived from Texas via Mexico recently?
Or were they rounded up in a sting like operation after having lived in the Florida area already?
And what if the airport decides not to let them land? Can they do that or why wouldn’t they turn it around? Would be a shitty thing to do but that’s what Desantis and Abbott would do.
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### Author:  [@commasense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/commasense)
#### Post date: [September 16, 2022, 10:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republican-migrants-stunt/971656/9 "2022-09-16T10:32:29Z")
Why isn’t this a crime, ie, human trafficking?
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### Author:  [@chela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chela)
#### Post date: [September 16, 2022, 10:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republican-migrants-stunt/971656/10 "2022-09-16T10:33:49Z")
Don’t the border states receive federal funds to deal with their border? Do the sanctuary cities get funds?
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### Author:  [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)
#### Post date: [September 16, 2022, 10:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republican-migrants-stunt/971656/11 "2022-09-16T10:38:26Z")
> [@mbh](#):
>
> New York and DC ostentatiously proclaimed themselves to be Sanctuary Cities. El Paso and Eagle Pass did not. What’s wrong with making the Sanctuaries put their money where their mouths are?
DeSantis is doing exactly what he(and the GOP) accuses sanctuary cities of doing-not cooperating with Immigration. And as others have pointed out, this could be kidnapping/unlawful detention(?).
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### Author:  [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)
#### Post date: [September 16, 2022, 10:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republican-migrants-stunt/971656/12 "2022-09-16T10:42:44Z")
These Republicans have obviously not heeded Ozzy’s warning about treating people just like pawns in chess.
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### Author:  [@Railer13](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Railer13)
#### Post date: [September 16, 2022, 10:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republican-migrants-stunt/971656/13 "2022-09-16T10:43:35Z")
> [@Kyomara](#):
>
> what is happening down there, is it actually any better or worse than it’s ever been
I was wondering the same thing myself.
What is the ‘normal’ process for refugees such as these? Aren’t there facilities and processes that handle these people? If so, are these facilities suddenly overwhelmed?
Or is this all BS by the GOP governors?
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### Author:  [@Cheesesteak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheesesteak)
#### Post date: [September 16, 2022, 10:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republican-migrants-stunt/971656/14 "2022-09-16T10:45:46Z")
> [@Crafter\_Man](#):
>
> If it’s a Sanctuary City, then they should welcome them, regardless of anything else.
They did.
The real problem is that certain people in Texas and Florida approached desperate people, lied to them about jobs and housing in order to con them into getting on a plane, and shipped them off to a place that had no jobs, no housing, and no idea they were coming.
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### Author:  [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)
#### Post date: [September 16, 2022, 11:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republican-migrants-stunt/971656/15 "2022-09-16T11:02:54Z")
> [@mbh](#):
>
> New York and DC ostentatiously proclaimed themselves to be Sanctuary Cities. El Paso and Eagle Pass did not. What’s wrong with making the Sanctuaries put their money where their mouths are?
San Antonio, where these people were abducted from, was a Sanctuary City before Greg Abbott banned them here in Texas in 2017:
> **[Everything you need to know about Texas’ “sanctuary cities” law](https://www.texastribune.org/2017/05/08/5-things-know-about-sanctuary-cities-law/)**
>
> Here’s everything you need to know about Senate Bill 4, a controversial immigration enforcement measure banning “sanctuary cities” across Texas.
(I do not know what El Paso or Eagle Pass have to do with _this_ story.)
The State of Texas sued us for $150 million for violating Abbott’ evil law. The violation? In 2017, a truck full of illegals were found and our police chief turned them over to _charities_ instead of arresting them.
Charity was his crime, mbh. Charity.
We fought the State and settled for a mere $300k. Many experts say our case was winnable, and the paltriness of the penalty, .2% of the original demand, shows that the State wasn’t playing with a strong hand.
> **[Texas Settles Lawsuits With San Antonio Over Alleged ‘Sanctuary City’ Policy](https://thetexan.news/issues/immigration-border-issues/texas-settles-lawsuits-with-san-antonio-over-alleged-sanctuary-city-policy/article_d555dab1-38b7-5027-8b81-a62876d2c612.html)**
>
> As part of the settlement agreement, the city has to pay the attorney general’s office $300,000 and use a police manual approved by the OAG.
My point is this: this action went against _local_ sentiment here in San Antonio. They _were_ in a Sanctuary City in all but name. So, kindly, step back with your “why don’t the SC’s take them 🤪” foolishness until you actually know what you’re talking about, thx.
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### Author:  [@snowthx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snowthx)
#### Post date: [September 16, 2022, 11:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republican-migrants-stunt/971656/16 "2022-09-16T11:17:34Z")
> [@mbh](#):
>
> They want to go to the interior of the country.
I suggested this over in the DeSantis thread - the Democrats should produce a TV commercial to air in TX with some of those immigrants thanking Abbott and DeSantis for facilitating thier passage north, and encourage people arriving in the US to try to get to TX or FL as they may get the same treatment. “Muchas Gracias, governor Abbott!”
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### Author:  [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)
#### Post date: [September 16, 2022, 11:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republican-migrants-stunt/971656/17 "2022-09-16T11:19:26Z")
I would also like to note the disingenuousness of an argument which states that the reason we don’t have an illegal immigration issue _close_ to the border is because they are in the Midwest. Amazing levels of “There’s no problem _here_, it’s all those other places!” energy.
Very much like how we, in Knoxville, thought the illegal immigrants were all in Texas because they sure weren’t in Knoxville. Now I’m in Texas and here is someone arguing that the reason the illegals aren’t in Texas is because they’re in… Knoxville?
🤔
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### Author:  [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)
#### Post date: [September 16, 2022, 11:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republican-migrants-stunt/971656/18 "2022-09-16T11:38:57Z")
I know we live in an era of stupid, idiotic discourse driven by immoral assholes, but “NYC, Boston, and Chicago don’t know what it’s like to have immigrants” is a real burner even in this environment.
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### Author:  [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)
#### Post date: [September 16, 2022, 11:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republican-migrants-stunt/971656/19 "2022-09-16T11:52:47Z")
If the federal government started withholding some funding for those states in order to care for these people, the outcry would be immediate, I’m sure.
> [@mbh](#):
>
> New York and DC ostentatiously proclaimed themselves to be Sanctuary Cities. El Paso and Eagle Pass did not. What’s wrong with making the Sanctuaries put their money where their mouths are?
Nice try. No wait, it’s a pathetic attempt to deflect criticism of what is clearly immoral and cruel behavior on the part of DeSantis and Abbot. You seem to be okay with that, but I’ve never expected honorable behavior from Texas or Texans.
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### Author:  [@HMS\_Irruncible](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HMS_Irruncible)
#### Post date: [September 16, 2022, 11:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republican-migrants-stunt/971656/20 "2022-09-16T11:55:57Z")
> [@Kyomara](#):
>
> But, political stunts aside, **what is happening down there, is it actually any better or worse than it’s ever been, and do DeSantis et al have any point at all?**
The entire point of this stunt is to make this sort of inane chatter go viral:
> [@mbh](#):
>
> New York and DC ostentatiously proclaimed themselves to be Sanctuary Cities. El Paso and Eagle Pass did not. What’s wrong with making the Sanctuaries put their money where their mouths are?
If you want proof that this statement is 100% dishonest, look at what mbh said upthread. He understands that migrants don’t accumulate at the border, and instead seek to migrate inward where the jobs are.
> [@mbh](#):
>
> I live 40 miles from the border, and the main reason we don’t have a problem is that the migrants don’t stop here. They want to go to the interior of the country.
So, in short, although it’s a known matter of fact that border towns don’t actually have a migrant problem, and that they migrate to cities anyhow (because duh, that’s where the jobs are), DeSantis made a spectacle of hiring transportation to do exactly the same as happens in the status quo, simply so he could step in front of a camera and say “how ya like them apples, libs?” (possibly in violation of 8 USC 1324 regarding illegal transport of certain aliens).
And to add stupidity to injury, even though the people in the destination communities [welcomed and mobilized to assist the migrants](https://www.cbsnews.com/boston/news/migrants-arrive-warm-welcome-marthas-vineyard/), the bobbing heads are still slapping each other on the back saying “boy are the libs mad! those are really some mad libs! they sure don’t like it when the tables are turned!” notwithstanding the fact that nobody turned any tables and nobody’s mad about migrants in their communities.
The only thing to be mad about is the obvious dishonesty of the stunt, and the cruelty of using people as pawns for an opportunity to smirk in front of a camera, and just how consciously stupid people can pretend to be when it suits their narrative. That, I’m mad about.
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