Migrants on Martha's Vineyard moving to temporary housing on Cape Cod

Updated Friday, Sept. 16, 9:29 a.m.

The 50 migrants who came to Martha’s Vineyard Wednesday afternoon from Texas on a plane chartered by Florida’s government were moved Friday morning from the island’s only shelter. Officials announced the migrants will have temporary housing on Joint Base Cape Cod in Buzzards Bay.

Families started loading their bags into cars just after 8 a.m., and headed towards the ferry.

The 50 migrants — 49 from Venezuela and one from Peru — told GBH reporters that they were instructed to get on the charter flight with a false promise of jobs. Instead, they were dropped on Martha’s Vineyard with no notice to local government or social services officials, leaving people on the island scrambling to provide food, shelter and basic needs.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis said Thursday that his government had chartered the flight with some of the $12 million Florida’s legislature had set aside to remove people who came to Florida without immigration papers. This group of migrants, however, was picked up from Texas, not Florida.

Texas Governor Greg Abbott has also been sending migrants from the U.S.-Mexico border to northern states, and some have arrived in Boston.

The 50 people spent two nights in a church shelter on Martha's Vineyard. Though they had a place to sleep, the shelter had only one shower, officials said. On Thursday, government officials announced a plan to move them to Joint Base Cape Cod in Buzzard’s Bay.

“We are grateful to the providers, volunteers and local officials that stepped up on Martha’s Vineyard over the past few days to provide immediate services to these individuals,” Governor Charlie Baker said in a statement Friday morning. “Our administration has been working across state government to develop a plan to ensure these individuals will have access to the services they need going forward, and Joint Base Cape Cod is well equipped to serve these needs.”

It was not clear exactly where they would stay once they arrived at the base, but the southern portion of the base has a small town that typically serves as housing for soldiers and their families on base. It has also served as a temporary home for people escaping emergenies over the years: After Hurricane Katrina in 2005, Louisiana residents who had to flee their homes stayed there.

This is a breaking news story. Please check back for updates.