A Tale of Two Cities—immigration-style
Deming, New Mexico, and Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts, have approximately the same size population, and both communities found themselves at the center of the nation's immigration crisis despite being two thousand miles apart. Deming (100 miles from the New Mexico/Mexico Border) in the summer of 2019 and Martha's Vineyard (2,000 miles from the New Mexico/Mexico Border) in the summer of 2022.
Both cities have approximately fourteen thousand people. Deming (US census information for Luna County), 92% Caucasian, medium home value is $88,000, medium income is $32,251, and the poverty rate is 22.3%. Martha's Vineyard (US census information for Duke County), 92% Caucasian, medium home value is $794,000, medium income is $77,318, and the poverty rate is 7.5%.
In the summer of 2019, the New Mexico/Mexican Border was overwhelmed by illegal immigrants. The US Border Patrol, in June of 2019, began discharging over a hundred illegal immigrants (migrants) daily on the streets of Deming. By June, it was reported that 7,000 migrants had come through the Deming Migrant Relief Shelter, requiring Deming to allocate $1 million for the shelter. In the summer of 2022, the Texas/Mexican Border was overwhelmed by illegal immigrants (migrants). In September 2022, the Florida Governor discharged approximately 50 migrants at the airport at Martha's Vineyard. At the end of the second day, there were no migrants left on Martha's Vineyard. The $43,000 raised for the migrants was deposited in the MV Community Foundation account.
Deming Migrant Relief Shelter, one of two buildings Photograph by Mick Rich
What I witnessed at the Deming Migrant Relief Shelter: The shelter was located at the County Fair Grounds, managed by County and City employees, and staffed with volunteers. The new arriving migrants appeared exhausted, needing food, a shower, and clothing. New arrivals were asked if they were ill (only minor illnesses were reported): they were given a flu shot, treated for head lice, and if staff could contact their sponsors did so on their behalf. Clothing, shoes, showers, and meals were provided. Staff contacted the immigrant's sponsors, who made the transportation arrangements from El Paso. The City/County provided daily bus transportation to the El Paso bus station or airport.
Migrants eat breakfast donated by residents Photograph Twitter / @RepDylan
What I learned from various (NPR, NY Post, CNN, Fox News) accounts of the migrants' two days on Martha's Vineyard: In photographs, it appeared that the illegal immigrants were no different from anyone exiting a long flight, and they had new clothes and shoes. The shelter was in the basement of St. Andrew's Episcopal Church, and the Massachusetts Emergency Agency and National Guard managed the effort while volunteers staffed the shelter. Beds and bedding, toiletries, and clothing were provided as well as food. A group of lawyers interviewed the migrants exploring possible legal action against the Florida Governor. The following day the illegal immigrants were given a fifty-dollar gift card and bused to a military base on Cape Cod.
What I found remarkable: Unlike Martha's Vineyard. Deming provided medical care (some staff contracted illnesses from the migrants), shoes in addition to clothing, and meals, not just food. Deming allocated $1 million from their budget to assist the migrants. Deming helped the migrants reach their families and friends across the nation, not busing them to a military base down the road.
To the nation's wealthiest and most powerful that call Martha's Vineyard a second home: You have experienced a small fraction over two days of what border communities face daily. As the nation's wealthiest and most powerful, you have the ear of President Biden. Demand President Biden ends the Illegal Immigration Crisis on our southern border. If President Trump could do it, President Biden can.