Martha’s Vineyard homeless shelter coordinator Lisa Belcastro told reporters Thursday that the illegal immigrants flown the day before from Florida to the exclusive island off the coast of Massachusetts can’t stay there.
What did she say?
Belcastro was asked about the “most difficult challenges” related to the new influx of humanity — courtesy of Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis — and she replied that “they have to move from here to somewhere else.”
“We cannot, we don’t have the services to take care of 50 immigrants,” she added. “And we certainly don’t have housing. We’re in a housing crisis as we are on this island. And we don’t, we can’t house everyone here that lives here and works here. We don’t have housing for 50 more people.”
Belcastro also emphasized that “none” of the illegal immigrants are “looking for a handout” and that they’re victims of a “political game.”
“And shame on everyone involved, and please print that very, very loudly if you’re in the paper,” Belcastro told reporters, adding that “these people are pawns, and we have to stop the chess game right now. If you guys can help do it, please do it. … I know this is a story, but if you could make it more personal and pretend it’s your child … and so I’m asking you to use your power as the press to help them.”
Toward the end of her remarks, Belcastro also said, “Don’t vote for DeSantis. And yes I said that!”
What was the reaction?
A number of folks weren’t buying Belcastro’s declaration that the ultra-wealthy island can’t handle 50 more people. The Daily Wire collected some stinging examples:
“Tucker’s riff tonight on the hypocrisy of wealthy MV residents, like the Obamas, rejecting immigrants in THEIR community is perfect,” media personality David Asman wrote on Twitter.
“Liberal elites are the biggest hypocrites on earth,” Nile Gardiner, former aide to Margaret Thatcher, wrote on Twitter. “They worship open borders until the border arrives at their own doorstep.”
“Wow. The wealthiest, most well-connected people on earth can’t take care of 50 people,” Joel Berry, Managing Editor of the Babylon Bee tweeted. “Imagine what the poor and middle-class folks dealing with tens of thousands per day in border towns are dealing with.”
Political commentator Stephen L. Miller mocked: “Despicable xenophobia. This is not who we are.”
“50 people. These rich snobs are claiming they can’t handle *50 people* in their town,” John Cooper of the Heritage Foundation tweeted. “Meanwhile border towns are dealing with hundreds of people every single day.”
New York Post reporter Jon Levine tweeted: “How many people attended President Obama’s covid superspreader party on Martha’s Vineyard?”
“Maybe they can re-erect the tent?” Levine added. “Or just knock on his door. I am sure his home has space.”