Governor DeSantis is floating the idea of shipping illegal immigrants from Haiti to the island of Martha’s Vineyard — a liberal enclave that is home to the Obamas, Larry David, and Spike Lee, among others. The Florida governor famously sent dozens of migrants to the island from Florida in 2022. 

“We do have our transport program also that’s going to be operational,” Mr. DeSantis said in an interview with a conservative personality, Dana Loesch. “So Haitians land in the Florida Keys? Their next stop very well could be Martha’s Vineyard.”

“Hopefully it doesn’t come to that, but I think we’re going to be ready,” Mr. DeSantis said. “Just last week, I signed some additional legislation to build off of the success we’ve had with making Florida the no. 1 state combating illegal immigration. When I became governor … sanctuary cities weren’t even banned in Florida.”

A former Haitian ambassador to America, Raymond Joseph, previously told the Sun that an “armada” of Haitian migrants will reach America’s shores in the wake of the crisis on the island if President Biden and other leaders don’t step in. “A lot of them will die at sea, but they’re still taking their chances,” Mr. Joseph said. 

Haiti’s descent into chaos in recent weeks has many concerned that a large number of migrants will make their way to America from the island nation. Haiti’s president, Ariel Henry, has taken refuge in Puerto Rico and has announced he will resign once a transitional governing council is formed. He has not set foot on Haitian soil since leaving for a trip to Guyana in February.

Mr. Henry’s co-prime minister, Michel Boisvert, has taken over as acting head of government and has declared a state of emergency as gangs ravage parts of the capital of Port-au-Prince by releasing thousands of prisoners. 

The humanitarian crisis — including the prospect of widespread famine — make the 700-plus-mile maritime journey to Florida from Haiti palatable to those Haitians who are suffering under the gangs. “Back then, it was mainly a political situation, but today it’s a humanitarian situation,” Mr. Joseph told the Sun. “It’s a whole country that is running away from gangs.”

Mr. DeSantis says that the crisis in Haiti is just the beginning of what could be an unprecedented number of migrants crossing into his state. He says governors have the responsibility to take these illegal migrants and “put them back over the border.” Mr. DeSantis said he would “be willing to help do that” for border states like Texas and Arizona. 

“I think that the states really have no other choice [but] to do that at that point. It’s a little bit different for a maritime state like [Florida]. We really have to get them before they reach the shores,” he said of the Haitians.