The Delaware governor’s office and local community groups are mobilizing for the possibility of migrants arriving in Georgetown unannounced Tuesday, as a plane is scheduled to leave Texas and land at the Delaware Coastal Airport later today.
While the plane had not left Texas as of 9:30 a.m. Tuesday, Gov. John Carney’s spokesperson Emily David Hershman said the governor’s office is aware of the reports and is preparing for the potential arrival.
“Our teams at [Delaware Emergency Management Agency] and [Delaware Department of Health and Social Services] are working with community organizations and other partners to make sure that migrants who arrive here have the support that they need,” Hershman said.
This comes after Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis sent 48 Venezuelan people from the San Antonio airport to Martha’s Vineyard on two private planes last week. A Texas sheriff later announced on Monday that he has opened an investigation into the legality of these flights, according to the Associated Press.
U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz tweeted earlier this week that Rehoboth Beach would be a potential destination for the influx of people crossing the border, especially since President Joe Biden has a vacation home in North Shores near Rehoboth.
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Where is this Delaware airport?
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.
At Delaware Coastal Airport, it was business as usual Tuesday morning. Employees at the small, county-owned airport said they are aware the plane is coming and they’ve heard the rumors, but don’t have any idea who or what is on board.
Georgetown Mayor Bill West and Councilwoman Christine Diaz-Malone were waiting by the phone for confirmation, as well.
How 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.
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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.
What happened in Martha’s Vineyard and other places?
This spring, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott began sending migrants who volunteered to accept a bus ride to Washington, D.C. Migrants have also been sent to New York City and Chicago.
DeSantis, who many believe will run for president in 2024, sent migrants to Martha’s Vineyard, a wealthy area where former President Barack Obama has vacationed, despite the small island being unaware and unprepared for them. The Florida governor has also publicly stated that Delaware could be next.
The migrants were falsely told jobs and housing would be waiting for them when they arrived in Martha’s Vineyard, advocates and immigration attorneys told USA TODAY reporters.
The areas where these people are being sent have been unprepared for the migrants. In Martha’s Vineyard, high school students acted as translators. The mayor of Washington, D.C. Muriel Bowser declared a public emergency as a result, and created an Office of Migrant Services.
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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.
This is a developing story. Check back with Delaware Online for more updates.
Reporters Shannon Marvel McNaught and Meredith Newman contributed to this report.
Emily Lytle covers Sussex County from the inland towns to the beaches, with a focus on health-related issues. Got a story she should tell? Contact her at elytle@delmarvanow.com or 302-332-0370. Follow her on Twitter at @emily3lytle.
