Tucker Carlson on Friday night mocked the residents of Martha’s Vineyard for their response to the arrival of 50 Venezuelan migrants, and pointed out that the $43,000 raised in a GoFundMe was not even going directly to those affected.
The migrants were flown to the holiday island from Texas on Wednesday, on flights chartered by Florida’s governor Ron DeSantis. On Friday morning, the 50 left Martha’s Vineyard, bound for a Cape Cod air base which was better equipped to house them.
Carlson laughed at the residents for what he saw as hysteria over the newcomers, and noted that their donations to help were not being used to help the immediate situation.
‘It’s one of the richest places in the United States and it has more available beds than any other place probably in North America right now, but it’s just they can’t swing it – but you can do your part by donating to the fund, and by donating the fund, they’ll help the migrants,’ Carlson said.
‘Well, a lot of people believed it. The fund raised $40,000 – but here’s the best part. You’re going to love this part.
‘How much of that money is going to the migrants? Oh, none. None.
‘An update on the fundraising page reveals that the funds will instead go toward, ”building up a reserve to assist situations like this in the future, rather than directly helping this group of migrants in their situation.”’
Tucker Carlson on Friday night discussed a GoFundMe set up to help the 50 Venezuelan migrants who were flown to Martha’s Vineyard
Venezuelan migrants are seen on Friday leaving Martha’s Vineyard, being transferred to Cape Cod
The 50 Venezuelans were flown from Texas to Martha’s Vineyard on Wednesday, on a plane chartered by Ron DeSantis. The migrants are seen on Friday leaving the island
A GoFundMe was set up to help the new arrivals
He added: ‘In other words, Martha’s Vineyard is building itself an endowment just like Harvard. Amazing! An endowment for Martha’s Vineyard!
‘Not to help anyone, but because, why wouldn’t Martha’s Vineyard want an endowment?’
The GoFundMe that Carlson referenced was entitled: ‘Urgent plea to help Martha’s Vineyard migrants’.
The organizer, Sarah Goulet – a New York-based communications and PR executive – wrote on the page: ‘Officials and volunteers on the island have sprung into action to provide emergency services, shelter, food, and clothing.
‘Martha’s Vineyard is a community of open-hearted individuals that view these migrants as people, not political pawns.
Sarah Goulet, a communications professional, organized the GoFundMe
‘However, the island is a resort community with only 20,000 year-round residents, and it already faces a shortage of affordable housing and off-season jobs.
‘Please join me in donating to the Martha’s Vineyard Community Foundation, which can quickly distribute funds to the neediest organizations.’
The Community Foundation describes itself as ‘a $16-million organization that works closely with those on the front lines caring for Islanders, their families and this special land and waters.’
Their Instagram page notes grants in 2021 were given to a women’s shelter, a church, and a facility for the elderly.
‘We support the organizations that have housed, fed, and provided assistance to them, replenishing their supplies to be able to assist again if the need should arise,’ the Fund stated on Instagram on Friday.
They said they also helped the settled migrant community, which arrived before the Venezuelans, through their Emergency Response Fund.
Carlson, who earlier this year suggested shipping migrants to places which criticized Republican policies on border control, said that the Martha’s Vineyard residents were hypocrites for having ‘migrants welcome’ signs on their lawns, but not welcoming the migrants into their homes.
‘Two nights ago, Governor Ron DeSantis of Florida generously sent a planeload of 50 illegal aliens from Venezuela to the Vineyard, which is a small, famously affluent island off the coast of Massachusetts,’ Carlson told his viewers.
‘Martha’s Vineyard has everything you could ever want in the world except racial diversity.
‘The island is whiter than a Swedish bluegrass festival and DeSantis was trying to help.
‘Under normal circumstances, the residents of Martha’s Vineyard would have no choice but to smile and say ‘Thank you, Governor DeSantis.’ When government officials send you the blessed gift of diverse immigrants or refugees, you must accept. That’s the rule.
‘It doesn’t matter how disruptive these new people are. It’s irrelevant how much they cost to support or how dramatically your quality of life may decline after they arrive.
‘It doesn’t matter if the crime rate spikes, if your daughters are afraid to go outside, if the schools become unusable, if the hospitals fall apart. Doesn’t matter. You never complain. You take it like a man.’
Carlson said the residents of Martha’s Vineyard should welcome the new arrivals
DeSantis flew in the two planes on Wednesday without giving any warning, sparking criticism from Democrats – including New York Mayor Eric Adams
He urged other Republican governors to follow DeSantis’s lead and send planes full of migrants to the small island, where the Obamas and John Kerry own multimillion-dollar mansions.
He also urged ‘sane’ governors to charter planes to move the migrants away from their own states.
‘Within 24 hours of having immigrants dumped on their shores, the people of Martha’s Vineyard have the military move them out,’ Carlson said.
‘Why is nobody else doing that? True. There’s no longer any reason that Republicans shouldn’t do that. This is the template.
‘In Texas, Arizona, Florida, etc, they should do the exact same thing.’