DeSantis’ Office on Treasury Department Looking Into Migrant Flights: Use of Funds ‘Permissible,’ Review is ‘Typical’
TALLAHASSEE (FLV) – In response to reports of the U.S. Treasury Department looking into whether Gov. Ron DeSantis’ use of interest on federal funds for migrant transports to Martha’s Vineyard followed proper guidelines, the governor’s office said the review is “typical” as part of their oversight responsibilities.
DeSantis Communications Director Taryn Fenske told Florida’s Voice that the state Office of Policy and Budget spoke with the Treasury Department and the Office of the Inspector General about their use of interest earned on COVID aid funds (State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds) to transport illegal immigrants to sanctuary jurisdictions, which they said were voluntary. Fenske said they spoke with the federal government “weeks ago” about the transports.
She went on to explain that the use of interest for the funds “is permissible” under federal guidelines.
“As stated under the [COVID aid fund program] 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,” she said.
“Reviews by Treasury are typical and, as stated by the OIG, are ‘part of its oversight responsibilities.’”
POLITICO initially reported that the Treasury Department is looking into the use of the funds for migrant transports.
The DeSantis Administration sent two planes as “part of the state’s relocation program to transport illegal immigrants to sanctuary destinations.” The office said the funds were pulled from the $12 million the Florida legislature provided to help transport illegal immigrants from the state.
“The agency’s inspector general’s office confirmed to several members of Massachusetts’s Democratic congressional delegation that it planned ‘to get this work underway as soon as possible’ to probe Florida’s spending as part of ongoing audits into how states have used the billions in sent to them as part of the American Rescue Plan, according to a letter provided by Democratic Massachusetts Sen. Ed Markey’s office.”
POLITICO
Deputy Inspector General Richard K. Delmar told lawmakers that the agency would “review the allowability” of COVID aid to states in reference to immigration, along with confirming whether interest on the funds was used for the migrant flights.
POLITICO acknowledged that Florida did not directly use federal COVID funds to transport the migrants, saying Florida legislators approved the $12 million in interest earned off COVID aid be used to pay for the transport of “unauthorized aliens from this state.”
The Treasury letter marks the first time federal authorities have acknowledged they’re looking into the transports.
DeSantis said the two flights are “just the beginning,” announcing he would use all of the allotted money to continue transporting them to sanctuary cities.
Following the migrant flights, DeSantis received multiple standing ovations during rallies in Kansas and Wisconsin after mentioning the border crisis finally getting wide media attention due to his actions at Martha’s Vineyard.
The flights are in response to Biden’s handling of the U.S. southern border where tens of thousands of migrants are crossing every month.
