Massachusetts Senator Edward Markey penned a letter saying the Treasury Division’s inspector common is inspecting Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ flights to Martha’s Winery.

The flights carried migrants to the winery final month.

The investigation additionally examines whether or not Florida used Covid aid funds to switch the migrants.

Investigation

In September, DeSantis took credit score for 2 flights that carried migrants from Texas to Martha’s Winery.

Markey and 6 different Massachusetts lawmakers penned a letter to the Treasury Division two days after the flights.

They requested an investigation into the funds that transported the migrants.

Richard Delmar, the division’s deputy inspector common, confirmed that the watchdog’s workplace has audit work deliberate for the state’s use of State and Native Fiscal Restoration funds.

The letter

Dated October 7, the letter reads:

“We’ll evaluate the allowability of SLFRF funds associated to immigration usually, and can particularly affirm whether or not curiosity earned on SLFRF funds was utilized by Florida associated to immigration actions, and if that’s the case, what circumstances and limitations apply to such use.”

The Democratic senator praised the division’s choice and launched a press release, saying:

“For the sake of the migrants who have been lured onto constitution planes underneath false pretenses, and for the commendable Commonwealth residents who rallied collectively to supply assist, I hope that this investigation sheds gentle on whether or not Gover DeSantis misused funds that have been supposed for Covid aid for Floridians.”

State program

Earlier experiences say that the flights might have exceeded the unique scope of Florida’s plan to move undocumented people.

Within the months resulting in the flights, Florida drafted a narrower mission for a controversial new state program to move migrants to different states.

In response to a callout to contractors and pointers for this system, the endgame was to relocate out of Florida overseas nationals who weren’t lawfully current in america.

Nevertheless, the plan didn’t come to fruition.

The flight

On September 14, two planes boarded 48 migrants in San Antonio, not Florida, earlier than dropping them off in Martha’s Winery.

The winery is an island off the coast of Massachusetts, the place rich vacationers usually spend their summer time.

DeSantis’ choice to deploy the flights was a part of his criticism of the federal authorities’s immigration and border safety insurance policies.

In the meantime, the migrants’ attorneys filed a category motion lawsuit, saying they have been misled to comply with the flights.

The migrants have been advised they’d arrive with housing, jobs, and assist with the immigration course of.

Nevertheless, native officers mentioned that nobody in Martha’s Winery knew they have been coming.