Trump Admin. Charging Puerto Ricans Full Flight Price and Holding Passports to Evacuate Island

[DonViejo]

Source: Newsweek



BY GREG PRICE ON 9/28/17 AT 10:31 AM

President Donald Trump’s administration is requiring impoverished Puerto Rican hurricane victims to pay full price to evacuate—and will even holding their passports as collateral until the government receives payment.

The administration is reportedly sticking with a State Department policy that forces evacuees to sign a promissory note before leaving, according to MarketWatch Thursday morning. The note “obligates an evacuated person to repay the cost of the transportation to the U.S. government."

The amount of the note, or loan, is based on the most recent one-way full face plane ticket before a crisis, a State Department policy that the agency has declined to waive. Meanwhile, some commercial airlines had reduced heir fares for flights leaving Florida before Hurricane Irma struck earlier this month. A State Department official is required to hold an evacuee’s passport—unless he or she has another proper form of identification—until the promissory note is paid off. However, the payments cannot be received right away due to “ongoing emergencies.”

The report comes as Trump faces myriad criticism and cries of hypocrisy for his administration’s lopsided responses to hurricane victims in Houston, Texas and Florida compared to Puerto Ricans, who are U.S. citizens, decimated by Hurricane Maria a week ago.



Read more: http://www.newsweek.com/trump-puerto-rico-flights-passports-673299

[PatSeg]

1. What the hell!

Tom Price spent $300,000 for charter jets and the government is going to charge Puerto Ricans full price to evacuate their devastated island?

[George II]

14. It was actually FOUR HUNDRED thousand.

[PatSeg]

18. Jeez

It is okay to spent money, as long as it is for THEM. What a bunch of tone deaf, greedy bastards. The attitude toward Puerto Rico is starting to look genocidal. Trump and his fools can't even pretend to look compassionate. The racism is so in-your-face all the time.

[George II]

25. Well, Puerto Ricans don't vote for presidents, soooooooooooooooo....screw 'em.

[d_r]

28. until they move to Florida

Am I right about this? A US citizen with a Florida address gets to vote, right?

[SCantiGOP]

40. That is correct

[PatSeg]

63. Ha, ha, ha

And it looks like a lot of Puerto Ricans could be headed to the mainland. Oh dear!

[whathehell]

83. Yes. n,/t

[PatSeg]

62. Yeah, I thought of that!

[Lebam in LA]

77. Now over $1,000,000

[George II]

78. Whew. I noticed that Politico said it was more than 25 flights but his office first "admitted"...

....to 10, then upped that to only 12.

[Lebam in LA]

79. Added costs are for military flights he took

[maxrandb]

71. Troll! We've also not had

a fucking category 5 storm destroy an entire fucking country full of AMERICAN FUCKING CITIZENS

I'll get smacked for this, but

Fuck You , Mother Fucker!! Enjoy your day in the fucking sun, because soon you shitty ass deplorable fucks are going to be out of power, and we'll remember how you fucking treated your fellow Americans. There's not a deep enough place in hell for you fucking asshats. You better burn that fucking MAGA hat.

[Eliot Rosewater]

73. Agreed 1000%

[PatSeg]

72. I don't think

there has ever been a comparable situation in our history, but if there has been, feel free to post examples.

[zipplewrath]

2. IF they have a passport

A State Department official is required to hold an evacuee’s passport—unless he or she has another proper form of identification—until the promissory note is paid off.

I'd guess an awful lot of Puerto Rican's have them, but what is done if they don't have a passport?

[berni_mccoy]

57. If they don't have a passport, the privilege of a passport is suspended

so they won't be able to leave the country until they pay the debt.

[rogue emissary]

3. If anyone hears how we can pay the airfare for an evacuee please post.

I don't have a lot but this is unacceptable and unamerican.

[pangaia]

44. Latest EXPEDIA One way fare SJU to MIA or JFK or ORD is about $680.

Damn steep..

[George II]

55. I think they're gouging. Flight from San Juan to Miami in November....

....is $250-300 round trip!

[pangaia]

58. Could be.. Also if this is just Expedia's standard search engine working,

it is still sort of high season...

But here is an interesting selection of flights..
Who thinks up this stuff? And I fly A LOT !!
LOL

https://www.expedia.com/Flights-Search?flight-type=on&starDate=10%2F31%2F2017&_xpid=11905%7C1&mode=search&trip=oneway&leg1=from%3ASan+Juan%2C+Puerto+Rico+%28SJU-Luis+Munoz+Marin+Intl.%29%2Cto%3AMiami%2C+Florida%2Cdeparture%3A10%2F31%2F2017TANYT&passengers=children%3A0%2Cadults%3A1%2Cseniors%3A0%2Cinfantinlap%3AY&options=carrier%3AUA

How is it possible there are no direct flights from SJU to MIA ??

And ya know what.. there ARE commercial flights NOW departing and arriving in SJU, not many but the airport is being used..

https://www.flightradar24.com/DAL9771/f087516

[rogue emissary]

56. Thanks for the info.

As steep as the fare, there got to be a way to help those people.

[luvtheGWN]

88. That's very charitable of you, but

I'm betting that "charity" is exactly what the GOP thinks/hopes is going to pay for reconstructing PR. After all, how many times did you hear, during the AHA debates that the Repubs' answer to increasing health insurance coverage was "So, you don't have health insurance? That's what charities are for. They'll take care of you."
The Repubs always conveniently forget the real reason for government: to support the health and welfare of the nation and to defend it against all enemies of the state. They don't own the government. The government IS the people.

[Dyedinthewoolliberal]

4. just when we think 'he could not do anything worse than that'

he does it! Each day is an opportunity for his administration to demonstrate the depths of soulless, uncaring behavior........

[Bayard]

5. Pathetic in so many ways

Although its probably not the poorest people trying to fly out, unless they were wealthy to begin with, they've probably lost their jobs. they should still be evacuating without charge. You get a bereavement discount on most airlines for flying to a funeral, for godsakes!

And again, I bet a lot of air fares could be purchased for the $33M that Rump owes the people of Puerto Rico for his bankrupt golf course there.

[Duppers]

66. Excellent point.

[King_Klonopin]

6. Why ?? Because he can and no one will stop him.

the same reason why a dog licks his own balls.


Some Definitions of Sadism:

the derivation of sexual gratification from the infliction of physical pain or humiliation on another person

delight in cruelty

excessive cruelty

the tendency to derive pleasure, especially sexual gratification, from inflicting pain, suffering, or humiliation on others.

(in general use) deliberate cruelty.

a type of behavior in which a person obtains pleasure from hurting other people and making them suffer physically or mentally.

A sadist is a person expressing callous, vicious, manipulative, and degrading behavior towards other people.



Trump is a man in serious need of a punch in the face. . . And,yes, it would bring me GREAT pleasure.

[Hortensis]

7. Well, hopefully angry blowback will cause them to ease this for at least some.

These Repubs never seem to know what the right thing to do is, but 2018 is coming up and that means they have skin in this game.

After explaining that he wouldn't waive the Jones act because it would cut into the profits of shipping companies , blowback changed Rump's mind.

[mahatmakanejeeves]

8. Please forgive me if I seem stupid, but

Last edited Thu Sep 28, 2017, 01:47 PM - Edit history (1)

since Puerto Rico is a part of the United States, why is the State Department involved?

Why does an American citizen need to have a passport to go to another part of the United States?

[Girard442]

13. Sounds like they're confiscating the passports to keep people from fleeing to other countries.

The old East German government would be so proud.

[Stallion]

23. Exactly-You Don't Need a PASSPORT

[pangaia]

47. or a visa or anything other than something to prove ID, like flying anywhere in the US..

Hell, in 2009 my Chinese wife and I went to PR for a week. Even she didn't need no passport OR visa. She was a resident alien with a green card,,,

dumb fucks...

[IronLionZion]

30. And if the state department loses these people's passports?

make life very difficult for American citizens who can't produce the proper documentation proving they belong in our country

[DBoon]

33. For example if they want to register to vote in states that require proof of citizenship

evil bastards

[Hortensis]

74. EXACTLY! From Snopes: "practice of charging evacuated Americans can be documented back

"to at least August 1944 [PDF]. However, U.S. Code Title 22, Chapter 38, Section 2671 pertains to the return of Americans citizens from places outside the United States, not transport of American citizens to other American territories or states. (Puerto Ricans are American citizens.)"

So far Snopes has found no evidence that this is being done or has legal basis, but the current rating is merely UNPROVEN.
http://www.snopes.com/is-the-trump-administration-puerto-rico-evacuees/

[Botany]

9. How much have Trump's golf trips cost America?

http://thehill.com/homenews/administration/344369-guarding-trumps-mar-a-lago-club-has-cost-taxpayers-66-million-report

[JoeOtterbein]

10. This is sick.

.

[rzemanfl]

11. K& Fucking R. Such motherfuckers. n/t

[muntrv]

12. Puerto Ricans are US citizens, so why do they need a passport to come to the US?

[Guy Whitey Corngood]

15. My guess is to try to make sure we don't "skip out" on the bill. nt

[SunSeeker]

16. Really?! Did they demand payment/passports from Houstonians they plucked from rooftops?

[Honeycombe8]

29. I don't think the govt did that. It was volunteers & charity orgs. nt

[IronLionZion]

31. Coast Guard and National Guard did a lot of rescues

and local/state police, fire, etc. too

[SunSeeker]

42. Those weren't church helicopters plucking people off of rooftops. nt

[metalbot]

69. Not Houston, but they did from the Carribean

If you're a US citizen who is stranded overseas in a disaster, and you are flown home on a military flight, you generally have to sign a form that says that you are liable for reimbursing the government the cost of an economy fare ticket home.

This isn't a new policy (though it is one that Trump certainly could waive).

[SunSeeker]

70. These people LIVE there. They're not tourists who assumed the risk of travel.

They are in the exact same position as Houstonians. Except they have brown skin.

What is the point of declaring a disaster if rules like that are not waived?

Normally, you would be charged a hefty sum for a helicopter ride off your roof. But it would be ridiculous to charge residents for it if the purpose is rescue from a disaster.

[nycbos]

17. Time for a MASSIVE voter registration drive after these folks get settled on the mainland.

[ATL Ebony]

61. KK&R

[rogue emissary]

19. Also remember Puerto Ricans with money weren't aloud to leave.

Because of the computer systems being down. Rachel Maddow reported there were people who were stuck in the airport as flights left with empty seats.

[Not Ruth]

20. Why does one need a passport to travel within the US?

[Stonepounder]

45. They don't need a passport to travel anywhere in the US.

The State Dept wants their passports as a guarantee that they will pay for their flight from Puerto Rico to the mainland at some point in the future. It is collateral against the 'loan'. And, if I read the article correctly, even if they have the money, cash in hand, they can't pay it now they still have to surrender their Passport, take the flight, and pay for the ticket at some undefined point in the future.

[pangaia]

50. That is freakin' nutso.

Anything to keep.. umm.. people not of the.. um.. you know... certain european persuasion... out of the mainland...

[NCjack]

21. Time for Pelosi to demand investigation of the Administration's handling of PI rescue. nt

[Tommy_Carcetti]

22. "It's time to take care of OUR people"--The Madman.

EOM.

[RobinA]

24. Wait,

this says "existing policy." So as much as I hate the man, he didn't invent this travesty. Is it normally enforced?

[IronLionZion]

34. They've enforced it recently for whites evacuated from other Caribbean islands

but it is discretionary. The expectation was to give them a waiver due to poverty since Puerto Ricans are not wealthy vacationers and they've lost their homes and jobs and everything. A Democratic president would have likely given them a waiver in this case.

[Scoopster]

60. Any other president would have waived this.

Party would be irrelevant. These are American citizens who have lost everything and are being forced to evacuate to the mainland until conditions improve in PR.

[DBoon]

36. for a disaster of this magnitude, the humane thing would be to waive the policy to save lives

You can count on Trump NEVER doing the humane thing

[George II]

26. Let's assume it cost $300 to fly them from Puerto Rico to Miami. For the money Price pissed away...

...on private jets (not to mention Pruitt or Mnuchin), we could fly 1300 Puerto Ricans out of the country.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

52. tRump's $33 million P. Rico bankruptcy would fly 100,000 to Miami.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/donald-trump-puerto-rico-owe-33-million-golf-club-bankrupt-coco-beach-golf-club-a7970201.html

[Gothmog]

27. Trump is not even pretending to care about the American citizens living in Puerto Rico

[True_Blue]

82. Trump wants them to die

What other explanation is there? We have a truly evil man running this Country!

[nini]

32. We're a fucking banana republic on steroids

This is disgusting on so many levels I want to puke

[Bernardo de La Paz]

54. tRumpistan is the banana republic. USA is on hold while the GOP indulges in a time warp fantasy. nt

[Angry Dragon]

35. Trump has found his Katrina

[mainstreetonce]

37. You don't need a passport

For travel from PR, but you need valid Photo ID and that might be why a lot of islanders have passports. Many may not have driver's licenses.

[maddiemom]

39. As I recall you didn't used to need a passport to travel to Puerto Rico from the U.S. (?)

[Maeve]

38. Snopes says unproven

http://www.snopes.com/is-the-trump-administration-puerto-rico-evacuees/

Although it is true that the Department of State billed evacuees for repatriation as far back as 1944, the Trump administration did not invent the policy, and whether it is applicable to a United States territory is undetermined. The policy exists, but we have so far found nothing substantiating the claim it is being used to seize passports or obtain promissory notes from citizens in Puerto Rico.

[Marthe48]

41. From Newsweek?

Which I would trust. Or is this a planted story?

[Bernardo de La Paz]

53. The difference is that Puerto Rico is USA. Not a COLONY or a foreign country. . . . nt

[pangaia]

43. Passports? One doesn't even need a visa to travel from PR to mainland US.

[pangaia]

46. Did people in Houston have to pay for being rescued by helicopter, or boat or....?

[ejbr]

48. Settle down! Settle down!

Tax cuts for the 1% don't pay from themselves

[lunatica]

49. I feel like throwing up in anger

[Bernardo de La Paz]

51. "state department policy" -- as if Puerto Rico were a COLONY ! . . . nt

[TexasBushwhacker]

59. I can't imagine this policy was ever meant for natural disasters

Certainly not domestic ones. I would think it applies to, for example, a missionary or tourist who went to a less that stable country and then begs to be evacuated by the state department when the shit hits the fan. That would actually make sense. The US should not be inthe business of rescuing people from places they went voluntarily.

[4139]

65. No.... "State not requiring Puerto Rico evacuees to pay transportation costs"

The State Department is not requiring anyone evacuated from hurricane-ravaged Puerto Rico to sign promissory notes reimbursing the government for travel costs.

Marketwatch reported that the evacuees from Puerto Rico were being required to put up promissory notes under a longstanding policy. The Hill also posted a story based on the Marketwatch report....

https://www.google.com/amp/thehill.com/homenews/administration/352824-trump-administration-forcing-puerto-rico-evacuees-to-pay-for%3Famp

[Glorfindel]

67. "unless he or she has another proper form of identification"

so if the evacuee has a driver's license or some other "proper form of identification" the passport won't be confiscated? This shit is so incredibly tangled and unbelievable! People are dying and imbecilic "officials" are doing everything in their power to prevent lives from being saved. Good Lord, and I thought the thuggish deputies shooting people who tried to leave drowning New Orleans were bad. This is an order of magnitude worse. The people of New York City showed us all how to react to a disaster on 9/11/01. They pitched in any way they could to help, waiting with food, water, and even shoes for the people fleeing on foot across the Manhattan and Brooklyn Bridges. Why can't everyone follow their example?

[Marthe48]

68. Reading the articles

Looks like trump administration still doesn't realize that Puerto Ricans are U.S. citizens. I looked at the Newsweek article and the Snopes article. Maybe after the ignorant fools understand that P.R. is a U.S. Territory, and read the law, they'll drop it.

This is what happens when you send children to do adults' work.

[Sugar Smack]

75. I think it's time for a MASSIVE General Strike.

https://www.democraticunderground.com/10029647828

[SergeStorms]

76. Racist piece of shit.

Sorry, but I can't think of any other words to describe how I feel about the racist piece of shit right now.

[Gore1FL]

80. Update: TRUMP ADMINISTRATION WILL NOT CHARGE PUERTO RICANS FULL FLIGHT PRICE TO EVACUATE ISLAND

Sorry for the all caps, that was the copy/paste of the headline at the link you provided.

[James48]

81. Stop Stop Stop

You all are misreading what is happening.

The charge isn't being levied by the Trump Administration.

The charge is part of the Emergecy Evacuation Plan designed by government experts in disaster planning.

It must be documented this way- by law.

Government workers cannot spend money without appropriation- so they create , on paper, a way to evacuate a person without it costing the government. You simply by them a plane ticket at normal rate. The person flys. Then you can get the person out.

[whathehell]

84. What? This is insane!

[WinkyDink]

85. Puerto Ricans---for the umpteenth time---are US citizens! No passports required!!!!

[colorado_ufo]

86. There is only one way to avoid this kind of crap.

Puerto Rico needs to apply for statehood.

[greymattermom]

87. Maybe Puerto Rico could become

part of Florida, another island like Key West.

[colorado_ufo]

89. Nice idea!