After calls from Massachusetts lawmakers to investigate Florida's alleged improper use of COVID relief funds to relocate migrants, the U.S. Treasury Department says it is getting a review underway "as quickly as possible."
Mass. Senator Ed Markey, sharing a letter from Deputy Inspector General Richard Delmar that was obtained by WGBH, said online that the Treasury Department "responded to my letter, confirming that it will investigate (Gov. Ron DeSantis') use of Covid relief funds to cruelly transport immigrants from Texas to Martha's Vineyard."
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"We will review the allowability of use of SLFRF funds related to immigration generally, and will specifically confirm whether interest earned on SLFRF funds was utilized by Florida related to immigration activities, and if so, what conditions and limitations apply to such use," the letter signed by Delmar said.
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Senator Markey, along with other state lawmakers like Representatives Ayanna Pressley and William Keating, who represents Martha's Vineyard, wrote a letter to Delmar last month, asking that he investigate Florida's reported use of pandemic relief funding to relocate migrants, alleging that doing so violates federal law.
"We request that you investigate Florida’s use of $12 million in taxpayer SLFRF funds to transport immigrants across the country," the letter said. "Allowing this program to continue sets a dangerous precedent for the misuse of SLFRF funds."
The unannounced arrival of 50 or so migrants to Martha's Vineyard last month sparked outrage among many politicians in the Bay State. Rep. Dylan Fernandes and Sen. Julian Cyr called on the U.S. Department of Justice and U.S. Attorney for Massachusetts Rachael Rollins to investigate the actions of Florida and Gov. Ron DeSantis after he ordered planes filled with migrants to be sent to the island.
Meanwhile, a sheriff in Texas last month said he was launching an investigation into the matter as well, saying that while they were staying at local shelters, the migrants were asked if they wanted work and housing, and were then "lured" into staying at a hotel, taken by plane to Florida, and eventually flown to Martha's Vineyard.
DeSantis' Communications Director Taryn Fenske released the following statement to NBC10 Boston on Wednesday:
"Weeks ago, the Office of Policy and Budget (OPB) spoke with the US Department of the Treasury’s (Treasury) Office of the Inspector General (OIG) about using interest gained from the State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds (SLFRF) program to transport illegal immigrants voluntarily to sanctuary jurisdictions.
"As stated under the SLFRF Compliance Requirements, ‘the following provisions do not apply to the SLFRF program: 2 CFR § 200.305 (b)(8) and (9).’ OPB articulated to Treasury’s OIG that our use of this interest, as appropriated by the Florida Legislature, is permissible under the SLFRF Final Rule.
Reviews by Treasury are typical and, as stated by the OIG, are 'part of its oversight responsibilities.'"
The NBC10 Investigators obtained new information this week about how the state of Florida paid to fly the migrants, and found that the flights may have violated Florida state law.
