A group of attorneys have asked state and federal authorities to investigate the flights to Martha's Vineyard, and are considering filing a civil lawsuit against Florida.
, and they’re rarely returned to their home countries once they cross the border because of hostile relations with the U.S. Many seek and are granted asylum in the U.S., and most of the migrants flown to Martha’s Vineyard were asylum-seekers or plan to be, according to Lawyers for Civil Rights.
“If they used the word ‘refugee,’ that is absolutely misleading,” Lackey said. “Refugee is a particular status, which none of these people have until after they win their asylum claim. That takes years. ‘Refugee’ is not used in the colloquial sense, like ‘I’m fleeing from my country.’ ‘Refugee’ is a term of law. It has a very specific meaning.”
In a call with reporters Monday, a senior DeSantis administration official repeatedly characterized the flights to Martha's Vineyard as voluntary and a net positive for the migrants, who were described as homeless and hungry.