According to reports, the woman who lured undocumented migrants to Texas via Martha’s Vineyard was part of a secretive program for public education run by the Florida Governor. Two media outlets identified Ron DeSantis.
CNN and The New York Times identified Perla Huerta last month as the woman behind the controversial flights. Perla Huerta, a former U.S. Army combat medicine officer and counterintelligence agent resides in Tampa. The San Antonio Sheriff’s Office says Huerta likely was sent from Florida to Texas to fill the planes. DeSantis chartered the planes in order to raise awareness about the migrant crisis at Mexico’s southern border.
DeSantis and his advisors have not spoken out about the details of the flight coordination or the recruitment of migrants. They also confirmed that the $12,000,000 used to finance the effort was a $12,000,000 special appropriation in the state budget for the Department of Transportation. This money was given to the department to “facilitate the transportation of unauthorized aliens from this state.”
The Republican governor said that the program was meant to decrease the flow of migrants to the country by the federal government. He then turned his attention to Texas.
Huerta, who had served for over two decades in the Army, was last month released from service. After serving two decades in the Army, Huerta was last month discharged.
Huerta, a Venezuelan immigrant was allegedly seen in San Antonio. He offered money, food, and clothing to the homeless.
CNN and the Times did not respond to requests for comment. According to reports, the ex-spy gave each of them a red folder containing a map of the United States with an arrow from Texas to Massachusetts as well as a map of Martha’s Vineyard with dots marking where they should be going to receive services.
In the folder was also included a brochure entitled “Refugee Migrant Benefits” in English or Spanish. The back of the brochure contained a list of numbers for synagogues and churches in the area.
Florida state records show that the Department of Transportation paid Vertol System (an airline charter company with ties to prominent Republicans) $615,000 and $950,000 respectively to fly migrants to Martha’s Vineyard in September. This was before the flights were chartered.
