Dozens of migrants unexpectedly flown to Martha's Vineyard can sue the transport company, federal judge rules

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

This discussion thread was locked as off-topic by Emile (a host of the Latest Breaking News forum).

Source: CNN

A federal judge in Boston has ruled that the nearly 50 migrants who were transported from Texas to Martha’s Vineyard in 2022 in flights arranged by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis can move forward with a lawsuit against the company that dropped them off. The destination of the flights was a surprise to both the migrants and residents of the Massachusetts island, according to the lawsuit.

Three Venezuelan migrants and immigrant rights group Alianza Americas filed the suit alleging DeSantis, members of his administration and Vertol Systems Company, a Florida-based aviation transport company, misguided migrants and transported them in what the rights group calls an “uncivilized, fraudulent, civil-rights conspiracy targeting LatinX immigrants.”

The migrants, solely identified in the lawsuit as Yanet, Pablo and Jesus, allege they were initially told they would be flown to “a city in the Northeast” and “if they got on the flight, they would be provided with stable housing, work, educational resources” and help in their immigration proceedings, according to the order.

Before the flights, some plaintiffs were asked to sign a transport consent form that “identified Massachusetts as the final destination,” according to the court order. However, it was only shortly before landing they were told for the first time that they were being taken to Martha’s Vineyard, the lawsuit says.

Read more: https://www.yahoo.com/news/dozens-migrants-unexpectedly-flown-martha-180158163.html

[republianmushroom]

1. Good, I like this ruling.

[OAITW r.2.0]

2. Good. Pawns get a pay-off.

And future political flights from FL/TX are gonna cost those state governments a lot more money, given the stakes.

[FBaggins]

4. There's no payoff at this point

They haven't won the case... it just wasn't entirely dismissed.

That's a pretty low bar.

[OAITW r.2.0]

5. I hope they get their day in Court. And I hope it's not a Republican Judge.

[AllaN01Bear]

3. eggscllent. would be neat if they go after abbot as well.

[MichMan]

6. Martha's Vinyard is located in Massachussetts, correct?

Before the flights, some plaintiffs were asked to sign a transport consent form that “identified Massachusetts as the final destination,” according to the court order. However, it was only shortly before landing they were told for the first time that they were being taken to Martha’s Vineyard, the lawsuit says.

[ificandream]

7. Correct.

[cstanleytech]

8. Sounds to me like the transportation company was involved in human trafficking.

[moniss]

9. The FAA has a list of

authorized air charter companies that is updated constantly and that people can check. As of the 4/1/24 update there is no listing for Vertol Systems alone but there is for the parent company VSC. However they only list a single Hughes 369-D helicopter despite their web site showing two passenger planes. Other companies with more than one craft show multiple entries so there may be a question about properly updating their requirements with the FAA for all craft used in charter. A wet lease craft from some other company and simply used by VSC may negate a multiple listing as far as the other planes or the craft used to fly the migrants. There are questions in all of this about manifesting requirements, truthful disclosure to passengers about their route etc. Enticing passengers under false pretenses as to purpose, intent, final destination and circumstances may run into kidnapping statutes and even if the air charter company themselves might claim ignorance of wrongdoing it may not get them off the hook entirely if such a case for kidnapping was made against the perpetrators.

On a side note I would mention that when I checked the charter bus company that Abbott was using they did appear to have some recent activity with respect to discipline.

https://www.faa.gov/charter

[Emile]

10. After an alert and discussion with the hosts locking post.

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Dupe of this earlier post: https://www.democraticunderground.com/10143219247