Pete Buttigieg rips Ron DeSantis for ‘border stunts’ after Martha’s Vineyard flight

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg ripped Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis for “border stunts” such as flying immigrants to Martha’s Vineyard.

Buttigieg said DeSantis has “no solutions” for the border issues while speaking at the Texas Tribune Festival in Austin, Texas, on Thursday.

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“Obviously, there are issues with the border and with migration, but these are the kinds of stunts you see from people who don’t have a solution. Like, Gov. DeSantis was in Congress. Where was he when they were debating immigration reforms? What have any of these people done to be part of the solution? So, I get if you’re after attention,” Buttigieg said.

Congressional records show DeSantis co-sponsored several bills related to immigration, including ones attempting to build a border wall on the southern border and relating to illegal immigration enforcement while he was a representative from 2013-2018.

Buttigieg also accused DeSantis of tricking immigrants into going on the plane to Massachusetts.

“It is hurting people to just get attention,” Buttigieg said.

DeSantis transported 50 immigrants to Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts, earlier this month. DeSantis has maintained the immigrants voluntarily signed consent forms and were provided with information on where they were going.

The Washington Examiner has reached out to the governor’s office for comment.

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DeSantis is currently running for reelection against Democrat Charlie Crist, a one-time Republican governor of the state. DeSantis has the lead in nearly every poll against Crist, with RealClearPolitics showing a 4.8-percentage-point lead for DeSantis, according to its polling average. It has rated the Florida gubernatorial race as “leans GOP.”