While the plane was still listed as “scheduled” on multiple flight trackers as of noon, the flight path appeared to start in Texas and stop in Crestview, Florida, before reaching Delaware.
Media representatives began gathering at the airport at about 10 a.m., but no one in an official capacity would confirm the impending Crestview arrival of a plane of migrants en route to Delaware.
Reporters were barred access to the tarmac or airport buildings as they noticed an increased law enforcement presence.
Nicole Hodskins, spokeswoman for the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office, confirmed the deputy presence at the airport was more robust than usual. She said it had nothing to do with the anticipated arrival of a plane of migrants.
“It has nothing to do with planes,” she said. “We had information that there would possibly be protesters out there today. They’re just out there to make sure everything stays peaceful.”
As of 11 a.m., a deputy confirmed no protesters had arrived.
– Tom McLaughlin
At Bob Sikes Airport in Crestview, Florida, on Tuesday morning, local reporters noticed a heavier-than-usual law enforcement presence, with about 10 deputies milling about around the airport campus.
Bruce Bowman, vice president and general counsel for Emerald Coast Aviation − the airport’s fixed base operator − insisted nothing was out of the ordinary.
“We have sheriff’s deputies here all the time,” Bowman said. “We have a special task force to protect the airport.”
When contacted by a reporter earlier Tuesday, Bowman insisted he knew nothing about the planned arrival.
Bowman refused admittance to a USA TODAY NETWORK-FLORIDA news crew to the Emerald Coast Aviation building or access to the airport tarmac to photograph the arrival of the plane scheduled to arrive from Texas.
“You can take a shot through the fence,” he said.
– Tom McLaughlin
What is happening at the Delaware airport?
After Florida, the flight was scheduled to land at Delaware Coastal Airport in Georgetown.
It was business as usual at the small, county-owned airport Tuesday morning. Employees said they were aware the plane was coming and they heard the rumors, but didn’t have any idea who or what was on board.
Georgetown Mayor Bill West and Councilwoman Christine Diaz-Malone were waiting by the phone for confirmation, as well. State Rep. Ruth Briggs King said Tuesday morning she received a call last night from someone she works with in the governor’s office, asking for ideas for housing resources.
“We’ve all heard a lot, but I haven’t seen anything official,” she said when reached by phone.
– Shannon Marvel McNaught
Locals quickly point out that the airport is still 20 miles west of Biden’s Rehoboth Beach home, and those who lead nonprofit and community service efforts said this is burdening already stretched-thin resources.
“This is not at all the optic that I think they were going for in southern Delaware − dumping on Georgetown’s doorstep is a far cry from Biden’s beach house − and those of us who live here know truly how far that is − on every level,” said community organizer Jen Mason in an email.
Located in the center of Delaware’s southernmost county, Georgetown has a population of 7,500 people, with more than 40% of residents Hispanic and Latino, up roughly 10% since 2000, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
It is also the county seat, home to courts, law firms and numerous state agencies.
To the east, President Joe Biden keeps a home in North Shores, in the Rehoboth Beach area. It’s the only area of the predominantly conservative county to elect a Democratic state representative.
A good rule of thumb: The farther west you go in Sussex, the redder it gets. Georgetown is no liberal enclave.
Throughout Sussex County, there are large swaths of immigrant populations, particularly Latino and Haitian, many of whom work for local chicken producers.
Just last weekend, Georgetown hosted the annual Festival Hispano, drawing thousands. Last year, Georgetown’s first Latina town councilperson, Christine Diaz-Malone, was appointed to her position.
Nonprofit La Esperanza, whose mission is “to assist Sussex County Latinos on their journey to achieve stability, integration and success,” is headquartered in Georgetown.
How else is the community preparing?
As nonprofit and community groups organized Tuesday, churches were on high alert, according to St. Paul’s Episcopal Church Pastor Elizabeth Kaeton.
“If this happens, we’re gonna be as generous as we can be and do exactly what Jesus told us to do, which is love our neighbor as we love ourselves,” she said.
Local nonprofits in Georgetown are now getting interpreters and case managers up to speed, according to community leaders. The American Civil Liberties Union in Delaware is directing anyone looking to help to donate to Sussex County organizations like La Esperanza and First State Community Action Agency.
Mike Brickner, executive director of ACLU Delaware, said the organization has been working with state officials and other community groups to coordinate a response since Monday night.
“This is cruel and immoral,” Brickner said.
Recognizing the earlier flights to Martha’s Vineyard, the ACLU director denounced DeSantis for “taking advantage of people who have traveled across several countries … who are simply trying to make a better life for themselves.”
Considering that governors from Texas and Florida have sent migrants to other politically notable places like the U.S. vice president’s home, it is still possible that the arrivals could arrive closer to Biden’s home in Rehoboth.
Rehoboth Beach Mayor Stan Mills said in a written statement Monday afternoon that the city was “aware of this situation and is actively reaching out to partners to be as prepared as possible should this situation arise.”
Those partners include officials from state and federal agencies, as well as community service organizations, according to city spokesperson Lynne Coan.
A spokesperson for Sussex County government referred a Delaware Online reporter to the state Department of Health and Social Services.
The areas where these people are being sent have been unprepared for the migrants. In Martha’s Vineyard, high school students acted as translators. In Washington, Mayor Muriel Bowser declared a public emergency as a result, and created an Office of Migrant Services.
New York City Mayor Eric Adams said last week that the city’s homeless shelter system was “nearing its breaking point” due to the influx of 11,000 migrants that have been sent to the country’s largest city. New York requires that every homeless person have a bed to sleep in.
Many of these migrants are Venezuelan and part of a global diaspora of millions of people who left the country to escape a depressed economy and a dictatorial regime amid power outages, lack of access to reliable water, rampant inflation and political turmoil.
