Page 2 - aruba-today-20220916

A2 UP FRONT
Friday 16 September 2022
Continued from Front about 2 million times from
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis October through July, up
on Wednesday flew two nearly 50% from the same
planes to Martha's Vine- period a year earlier. A rule
yard in what his office said in effect since March 2020
was part of an effort to that suspends rights to seek
"transport illegal immigrants asylum on grounds of pre-
to sanctuary destinations." venting the spread of COV-
The Florida Legislature has ID-19 applies to all national-
earmarked $12 million to ities in theory but has been
transport "unauthorized largely limited to migrants
aliens" out of state. from Mexico, Guatemala,
While DeSantis' office didn't Honduras and El Salvador
elaborate on their legal because those are the only
status, many who cross the ones accepted by Mexico.
border illegally are tempo- In July, less than 4 of every
rarily shielded from depor- 10 stops at the Mexican
tation after being freed by border were subject to ex-
U.S. authorities to pursue pulsion under the pandem-
asylum in immigration court ic rule, known as Title 42.
— as allowed under U.S law Many from Venezuela, Co-
and international treaty — lombia, Cuba, Nicaragua
or released on humanitar- and elsewhere were re-
ian parole. leased in the United States
DeSantis' office didn't to pursue their immigration
answer questions about cases. U.S. authorities have
where migrants boarded struggled to expel them to
planes and how they were their countries because of
coaxed into making the costs, strained diplomatic
trip. relations or other consider-
Massachusetts state Sen. ations. Some Republicans
Julian Cyr told The Vineyard celebrated the latest deliv-
Gazette that one plane Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis speaks to a crowd of supporters during the Keep Florida Free Tour on ery of migrants from border
originated in San Antonio, Wednesday, Aug. 24, 2022, in Tampa, Fla. states to sanctuary cities.
raising questions about Associated Press "Welcome to being a state
whether migrants ever set on the Southern border,
foot in Florida. Flight track- "The Biden-Harris adminis- 1,800 migrants to Washing- estimated times of arrival Massachusetts," tweeted
ing data shows a flight tration continues ignoring ton since May. Passengers and other information that DeSantis spokesman Jer-
originated in San Antonio, and denying the historic cri- must sign waivers that the would make it easier to emy Redfern.
stopped in Crestview, Flor- sis at our southern border, free trips are voluntary. prepare. In contrast, Ari- Stephen Miller, a chief ar-
ida, and Charlotte, North which has endangered DeSantis appears to be tak- zona has coordinated with chitect of Trump's immigra-
Carolina, before landing in and overwhelmed Texas ing the strategy to a new officials in other cities. tion policies, said bringing
Martha's Vineyard. communities for almost two level by using planes and President Joe Biden is fac- "a few million" migrants to
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott years," said Abbott, who choosing Martha's Vine- ing the same challenges Martha's Vineyard should
announced the arrival of has poured billions of tax- yard, whose harbor towns that dogged his predeces- transform the island of
two buses of migrants from payer dollars into making that are home to about sor, former President Don- about 15,000 people into
Texas early Thursday out- border security a signature 15,000 people are far less ald Trump: a dysfunctional "a modern Eden."
side Harris' residence at the issue. prepared than New York asylum system in the United Florida Democratic guber-
United States Naval Obser- Abbott has bused 7,900 mi- or Washington for large in- States, and economic and natorial nominee Charlie
vatory. They carried more grants to Washington since fluxes of migrants. social conditions that are Crist said DeSantis is treat-
than 100 migrants from the April, later sending 2,200 to Texas and Florida have in- prompting people from ing the migrants inhumane-
Colombia, Cuba, Guyana, New York and 300 to Chica- furiated officials in desti- dozens of countries to flee. ly. "It's amazing to me what
Nicaragua, Panama and go. Arizona Gov. Doug Du- nation cities by failing to U.S. authorities stopped mi- he's willing to do for sheer
Venezuela. cey has bused more than provide passenger rosters, grants crossing from Mexico political gain," Crist said.q

U.S. hits more Russians with sanctions over Ukraine

WASHINGTON (AP) — The not all, of those penalized Russia's unprovoked war," who were said to be work- rectorate, or GRU, which
Biden administration on were already subject to Secretary of State Antony ing for, or on behalf of, the has been subject to U.S.
Thursday slapped sanc- U.S. sanctions, which in- Blinken said. Russian government to de- penalties since 2016, but
tions on dozens of Russian clude asset freezes and a "The United States will stabilize Ukraine. Another has since been accused
and Ukrainian officials and ban on Americans con- continue to take actions five people were sanc- of running so-called "filtra-
a number of Russian com- ducting business with against those who support tioned for participating in tion" camps through which
panies for human rights them. Russia's defense-industrial the alleged theft of Ukrai- Ukrainians have been forc-
abuses and the theft of "Those designated today base, its violation of human nian grain. Many of them ibly deported.
Ukrainian grain. — from perpetrators of rights, and its attempts to were appointed by Russia Other companies include
The State Department said violence to an official fa- legitimize its occupation of to local leadership posi- high-tech firms involved in
it had imposed sanctions cilitating the purposeful Ukrainian territory, wherev- tions in parts of Russian-oc- Russia's space and satel-
on at least 23 officials and removal of children from er they may be," he said in cupied Ukraine. lite sectors and computer
31 Russian government Ukraine — provide exam- a statement. Among the government companies that produce
agencies and firms for their ples of the behavior that Among those targeted on agencies and companies micro-processors and semi-
roles in supporting Russia's has become synonymous Thursday include 17 Rus- hit with sanctions were Rus- conductors used by the
war in Ukraine. Some, but with the Government of sian and Ukrainian officials sia's Main Intelligence Di- Russian armed forces.q