PA State GOP proposes bill to divert 'secret' migrant flights to Biden's home state of Delaware
Pennsylvania's Republican-led state senate has plans to put forth a bill that would divert flights carrying migrants across the U.S. to President Biden's home state of Delaware.
The bill would implement a 'transportation program' to address the 'unauthorized relocation' of undocumented migrants to Pennsylvania.
'If the federal government is not willing to provide extra dollars to communities that have experienced increased strain on their healthcare systems, increased number of students in school districts and education costs and other services within our communities, then they shouldn't be forced to take on more illegal immigrants and the additional financial responsibility,' state Sen. Mario Scavello of Mount Pocono wrote in a memo announcing the legislation.
'How many illegal immigrants has the President relocated to his own home state of Delaware? If it is good enough for Pennsylvania, then why not redirect the relocation to Delaware.'
Biden's home residence in Wilmington, Delaware
Scavello added that the legislation will be modeled after Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis announcing that he intended to bus unlawful migrants flown into his state to Delaware.
The Republican governor warned in November, 'My view would be, if they're going to come here, you know, we'll provide buses and provide them. I will send them to Delaware.'
Scavello's bill would also prohibit state contracts from being given to any contractors who assist the Biden administration's efforts to relocate migrants to the state.
'If the federal government is not willing to provide extra dollars to communities that have experienced increased strain on their healthcare systems, increased number of students in school districts and education costs and other services within our communities, then they shouldn't be forced to take on more illegal immigrants and the additional financial responsibility,' state Sen. Mario Scavello said
Pennsylvania's Republican-led state senate has plans to put forth a bill that would divert flights carrying migrants across the U.S. to President Biden's home state of Delaware
Pictured above is one of Biden's two homes in Delaware, his beach house in Rehoboth Beach
State Sen. Doug Mastriano of Chambersburg said Thursday he would be co-sponsoring the legislation.
'We need to further examine the total number of illegal immigrants being sent to [Pennsylvania] by plane and bus,' said Mastriano, who is also running for governor.
'We also need to look at how much this is costing taxpayers and if Governor [Tom] Wolf and Attorney General [Josh] Shapiro were notified of the flights beforehand.'
Shapiro is running for governor on the Democratic side as Wolf is term-limited.
The announcement of the bill comes after GOP gubernatorial candidate Lou Barletta claimed earlier this month that secret flights were carrying illegal migrants into the state.
Barletta said a flight landed at Lehigh Valley International Airport in Allentown last Thursday and that others arrived at Scranton a week earlier.
He posted images of what he said were chartered airplanes that had taken off from El Paso, Texas, and arrived at Scranton on Christmas day.
Barletta accused the Biden administration of playing games with the safety of people in Pennsylvania.
'The incredible secrecy and disregard for Pennsylvanians continues,' he said.
'First, we had to discover for ourselves that illegal immigrants were being shipped into Northeast Pennsylvania on at least four flights.
'But then when people demanded information, the flights were shifted to the Lehigh Valley and they just hoped no one would notice.'
A photo shared by Rep. Lou Barletta apparently shows an evening flight of illegal immigrants arriving at Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport
Barletta, who is running for governor of Pennsylvania, said the flights showed the Biden administration was playing games with the safety of people in the state
Barletta shared data from a flight tracking website that showed how planes arriving at Wilkes Barre-Scranton International Airport (AVP) had originated at El Paso, Texas
But Democratic Rep. Matt Cartwright disputed his claims, saying the flights were part of a Department of Health and Human Services program that had been running for several administrations.
They carried unaccompanied children who had arrived from countries in Central America, including Honduras and Guatemala, he told WNEP.
'They find vetted sponsors where these children go,' he said recently.
'They come over the border, they're in Texas, they're unaccompanied, they need to go someplace.
'They have vetted sponsors where they go. These sponsors have to sign a contract that says that they will bring these kids to their court hearing.'
They were originally destined to be flown to other airports, he added, but staff shortages at their intended destinations led to a change of plans.
Wolf's office recently told Fox News that migrant flights arriving at the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport on Dec. 11, 17 and 25 were full of unaccompanied children who were 'en route' to be united with vetted sponsors.
'Had any of the elected officials sending letters/statements asked, they would have received the same information that we have from HHS; over recent weeks, unaccompanied children passed through the Wilkes-Barre airport en route to their final destination to be unified with their parents or vetted sponsor,' said spokeswoman Beth Rementer. 'These were not ICE flights.'
dailymailDelawarenewsPennsylvaniaUS Senate
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