Details emerge on charter flight suspected of flying migrants to Nantucket. What we know

Zane Razzaq, Cape Cod Times
·2 min read
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NANTUCKET — A flight scheduled to arrive on the island Tuesday is not expected to be carrying migrants, according to a press release.

"The Nantucket Police Department has spoken directly with the charter company hired for the flight scheduled for arrival in Nantucket on Tuesday, October 11, 2022," said the police on Monday. "The company confirms the scheduled flight will be carrying executives from an investment company."

The department said it believes "this information to be credible" and that no further information will be released at this time.

On Sunday, the department reported that Nantucket Memorial Airport Operations had called dispatchers to inform them about the flight, which the airport said, "had many similarities to the flight and incident that occurred on Martha's Vineyard."

Earlier:  Nantucket police say possible migrant headed to island Tuesday

The charter company was contacted by the airport and told them that the "chartered flight is a business flight for a group out of Chicago," said police on Sunday.

If a plane does arrive carrying migrants, Nantucket police said they and many other town departments "have a detailed plan to manage such a situation."

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Nantucket Police Department, photographed in April, is located at 4 Fairgrounds Road.
Nantucket Police Department, photographed in April, is located at 4 Fairgrounds Road.

Martha's Vineyard flights brought migrants to island

Last month, on Sept. 14, two charter planes sent by Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis brought about 50 migrants from Texas to Martha's Vineyard without warning. DeSantis' spokesperson said the migrants were flown to Martha's Vineyard as part of the governor's "promise to drop off undocumented migrants in progressive states."

The flights were paid with $12 million the Florida Legislature appropriated this year to cover the cost of transporting migrants out of Florida if they are apprehended at the border and brought to the state.

Update:  Migrants end temporary stay at Joint Base Cape Cod as nonprofit help kicks in

On Sept. 16, the migrants moved voluntarily, according to state officials, to housing on Joint Base Cape Cod. On Friday, the temporary sheltering at the base of a group of migrants ended, according to an afternoon tweet on Friday from the state Executive Office of Public Safety and Security.

Work on Cape Cod: Can the migrants dropped off on Martha's Vineyard help solve the labor shortage?

The migrants will transition into alternative housing or move to different states, according to the notice.

Out of the 35 migrants, many of them Venezuelan, who remained the base, some were to be relocated to the Outer Cape and Martha’s Vineyard, while organizations like Housing Assistance Corporation in Hyannis and Father Bill’s and MainSpring, which is based in Brockton, are trying to find housing for others, state Sen. Julian Cyr, D-Truro, said in a recent interview with the Times.

What are the issues: Can Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket prepare for more migrants? Here's what officials say

Zane Razzaq writes about housing and real estate. Reach her at zrazzaq@capecodonline.com. Follow her on Twitter @zanerazz.

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This article originally appeared on Cape Cod Times: Nantucket police: Plane headed MA island isn't carrying migrants