This stunt by Gov. Ron deSantis is so incredibly shady, if not criminal. In this vein, read this piece that just appeared in The Guardian Attorneys for ‘duped’ migrants flown to Martha’s Vineyard call for criminal investigation. Lawyers for Civil Rights are stepping in, calling for  the Massachusetts attorney general to open criminal investigations. LCR strongly believes that a crime, masquerading as a political stunt, was committed against these people.

Who is this "Perla" woman, anyway? Clearly, she's a tool of Gov. deSantis trafficking in immigrants, deceiving them under a shroud of secrecy. 

You can't make this stuff up. LULAC is offering $5K for helping information helping to identify her.

I hope the Department of Justice investigates and prosecutes these wrong-doings.

-Angela Valenzuela

Migrants who landed at Martha’s Vineyard felt embarrassed, confused: ‘They used us for a political purpose’

by Raquel TorresSeptember 18, 2022

People are shown waiting outside the migrant resource center in July. Several migrants who had stayed in San Antonio's migrant resource center and were put on flights to Martha's Vineyard this week say they feel embarrassed at being used in a political stunt. Credit: Nick Wagner / San Antonio Report

Several migrants who had stayed at the San Antonio migrant resource center say they were lured into a political stunt with promises of jobs, English classes and long-term shelter, only to end up confused and embarrassed on a resort island in Massachusetts. 

When the group of 42 adult migrants and five children arrived Wednesday on Martha’s Vineyard, Elid Aguilar, a 27-year-old Venezuelan migrant, felt so frustrated at the situation he was in that he ran behind a church nearby and sat down to cry.

“We didn’t know what to do. They used us. They lied to us,” Aguilar said over the phone Saturday from Joint Base Cape Cod, where many in the group of migrants were moved after landing in Martha’s Vineyard. “We didn’t think these people would be so cruel, so cold-blooded to do this to us.” 

Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis took credit on Wednesday for sending the two flights of migrants to the popular and affluent summer vacation destination in Massachusetts, a political stunt aimed at making a statement about sanctuary cities.

The City of San Antonio said in a statement Saturday that staff at the migrant resource center has begun advising migrants not to accept rides or any other assistance from strangers outside the center — and to report any concerns to the staff. Signs have been posted at the center providing the National Human Trafficking hotline.

Wilmer Villazana, a 34-year-old Venezuelan migrant, said he decided to go with a woman calling herself Perla last week after she said she would help the migrants get to unspecified “sanctuary states.” 

At first, he felt hopeful to hear promises of what awaited the migrants at his next destination, but as he waited for four nights and five days at a San Antonio-area La Quinta hotel, something started to feel off.

“[I feel] lied to, deceived,” Villazana said. “They used us for a political purpose.”

Who is Perla?

Since learning the woman’s description, the League of United Latin American Citizens announced it is offering a $5,000 reward for information about the woman known as Perla.

LULAC President Domingo Garcia traveled to Martha’s Vineyard on Friday and spoke with a handful of migrants about their experiences traveling to Massachusetts. Their stories of Perla and the false promises she made were almost identical, he told the Texas Tribune.

Outside the migrant resource center on San Pedro Avenue near a McDonald’s restaurant, Perla and another woman promised migrants long-term refugio, or shelter, opportunities for jobs, additional resources, attorneys, classes to learn English and even a school for Villazana’s 7-year-old niece, Aguilar and Villazana said.

Villazana had traveled to the United States with his cousin, cousin’s wife and their daughter, and Aguilar said he was accompanied by four of his cousins. The families said they did not receive all of that promised help when they arrived at Martha’s Vineyard, but instead were met with surprised but kind people.

Now, Aguilar and Villazana and their families plan on settling down in Massachusetts and are primarily focused on updating their location with immigration officials and attorneys — a necessary step needed to remain in good standing in their asylum process. 

“I would like to work here,” Aguilar said. “First, fix our immigration paperwork, but we came to work and to contribute, to help, to put in effort. If they tell me to go back to the island, I would go because the people were so kind and good.”

Villazana said he texted Perla via WhatsApp on Thursday, asking why the group of migrants was sent to Martha’s Vineyard and why they never received the help she promised. She responded, saying, “I’m sorry for the confusion. I saw they sent y’all doctors and attorneys.”

The City of San Antonio’s policy of releasing migrants from its resource center after three days has prompted some migrants, including families with children, to sleep on the streets, the San Antonio Report reported earlier this month.

Villazana said he and his family timed out of the resource center early in the week before the flight, and slept outside through Sept. 8, when he and his group agreed to go with the people who promised them permanent shelter. 

Migrants arrive on a bus outside of the city’s migrant resource center on Friday. Credit: Nick Wagner / San Antonio Report

Waiting at the hotel

Aguilar said he was in a similar predicament.

His family had timed out of the center Sept. 11 after three nights and were waiting on a family member to send them money to get to Washington state, where they heard from an immigration official that there was a shelter for migrants.

Around 3 p.m. that day, Aguilar said Perla arrived outside the San Antonio center with another woman and a male Venezuelan migrant, whose name Aguilar said he didn’t know.

Some of the migrants voluntarily began to share with the women where they were headed, he said, but explained that they were stuck because they didn’t have money. Aguilar said the women began to offer to take migrants to either Washington state, Oregon or other states. Aguilar said he didn’t hear the term “sanctuary states” as part of that conversation.

“We were desperate because it was already night and we were on the streets,” Aguilar said. When they asked when they would get to wherever they were going, they were told any day between Monday and Wednesday. 

According to migrants, Perla said she was taking them to a “residence,” which they understood would be her home. They instead were taken to a hotel.

On Sept. 8, Villazana said his family members were taken to a La Quinta hotel near Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland with 12 other migrants. The next day, Villazana and others were also taken to the same hotel. Aguilar said he arrived Sunday with his cousins. 

Rita Orpeza, a maintenance employee at the La Quinta hotel, told the San Antonio Report she first heard of the migrants staying there from coworkers.

“They didn’t make a peep when they stayed here … pretty much just stayed in their rooms,” Orpeza said.

Villazana said he spent four nights and five days at the La Quinta.

Filling the flights

The migrants did not know exactly where they were going after the hotel, they were only told about the things they were promised when they arrived at their eventual destination.

“On Tuesday, the woman arrived [at the hotel] and asked us to sign a paper because the flight was leaving tomorrow,” Aguilar said. “We were feeling doubtful because we know that when you’re boarding a flight, they have to hand you a ticket.”

Aguilar said that the paper the migrants signed was permission to board the plane.

On Wednesday afternoon, Villazana and Aguilar said the group departed the hotel in buses and were taken to two private planes by Perla, two women and two men.

Aguilar said he heard one of the men from Perla’s group say they had the goal of flying out 60 migrants from Kelly Field, but didn’t meet their goal.

“They didn’t want to depart until they met their goal,” Aguilar said.

Villazana and Aguilar said 42 migrants and five children boarded the two planes and were finally told they were going to Massachusetts when they boarded, and were again reminded they would have jobs. Aguilar said Perla did not get on the plane.

“The whole time, the movements were secretive,” Villazana said. “Everything, they did it in their own way.”

About 10 minutes before they landed, Aguilar said a woman handed them a pamphlet with three blue dots on the island, showing them where they could find the migrant refugios. 

Aguilar said the woman told the migrants, “at whichever of those three refugios, you can go and they’ll help you, give you jobs. We already contacted them and they’re going to receive you.”

Arrival in Martha’s Vineyard

The migrants waited for buses to arrive in Martha’s Vineyard, and about 15 people boarded each bus. 

“We saw a [news] camera, and when we saw it, we knew something strange was going on,” Aguilar said. “When the bus driver took us to a certain address, he pointed to where we needed to walk.”

Groups of migrants began to arrive at the address and began asking for directions on the street. The people on the street were confused, the migrants said, as they began to realize more and more groups of people were walking up behind the first group. 

“We were desperate. We didn’t know what to do,” Aguilar said. “Do we walk to the left? To the right?”

Aguilar said migrants realized they had been lied to and described a feeling of embarrassment at being met by seemingly wealthy people. The locals’ kindness made them feel better, he said, but the migrants still kept apologizing for showing up. 

So far, the migrants swept up in the stunt have been working with attorneys who are getting their testimony on what happened, and helping them update immigration documents.

They’re just as hopeful for the future as they were when they arrived in San Antonio.

“Maybe God wanted it this way,” Aguilar said. 

Photojournalist Nick Wagner and Reporter Lindsey Carnett contributed to this story.

RAQUEL TORRES

Raquel Torres is the San Antonio Report's breaking news reporter. She previously worked at the Tyler Morning Telegraph and is a 2020 graduate of Stephen F. Austin State University. More by Raquel Torres

LULAC offers reward to ID person who convinced migrants to fly from Texas to Martha’s Vineyard

More on this woman, Perla, who is luring immigrants into her trap. Mention was made of her when we were in Martha's Vineyard last Friday. Any close reading of this situation points to big trouble that she's in. DeSantis, as well, for hiring her all on Florida taxpayers' dime.

Human trafficking, if not kidnapping, charges could and should get brought against her and others involved in this scheme.

-Angela Valenzuela

LULAC offers reward to ID person who convinced migrants to fly from Texas to Martha’s Vineyard

A young girl is shown staying at a shelter on Martha's Vineyard, Mass., after she and dozens of other migrants arrived by plane unannounced Wednesday.

The Texas Newsroom | By Sergio Martínez-Beltrán

Published September 16, 2022 at 4:24 PM CDT

The League of United Latin American Citizens is offering a reward for information leading to the identification of a person reported to have misled migrants in San Antonio into taking a flight to Martha’s Vineyard earlier this week.

In an exclusive interview with The Texas Newsroom, LULAC President Domingo Garcia said his organization has talked to migrants who have said a woman known as “Perla” told them they were going to Boston and promised them three months of work.

“It’s a con woman who we believe is engaging in human trafficking [and] virtual kidnapping,” Garcia, who is also an attorney, said.

He added LULAC is doing whatever it can to identify the woman so that no other migrants fall for it. He said his organization is offering a reward of $5,000 for information that could help identify the woman.

He said the goal is to file criminal charges with the Bexar County District Attorney’s Office.

On Wednesday, about 50 migrants — most of them from Venezuela — arrived by plane in ritzy Martha’s Vineyard, Mass. The flight originated in San Antonio, but was paid by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis.

DeSantis has been floated as a potential Republican presidential candidate in 2024.

According to reporting by NPR, the plane made a stop in Florida and in South Carolina before landing in Martha’s Vineyard. The migrants have said they didn’t spend time in Florida.

The migrants have said a woman who identified herself as “Perla” lured them into boarding a plane and promised expedited work permits.

“She's actually engaged in a conspiracy to have them commit a crime to work illegally in the United States in violation of federal law,” Garcia said. “This is where I think Perla has screwed up.”

Congressman Joaquin Castro, D-San Antonio, also said he believes DeSantis' actions in Texas amount to human trafficking.

“These guys are engaging in what I believe could be criminal behavior but is certainly sadistic behavior,” Castro said.

Over the last few months, unauthorized migrants who have arrived in Texas and are awaiting their asylum hearing have been offered a free ride to Washington, D.C., New York and Chicago as part of Texas Gov. Greg Abbott’s new initiative to push back against the Biden administration.

The Republican governors in Arizona and Florida have followed Abbott’s lead and have also started transporting migrants out of state.

But the reports of migrants being lured into getting on a plane is unprecedented.

Renae Eze, a spokesperson for Gov. Abbott, said in an email the Republican governor was “not involved in these initial plans to Martha’s Vineyard.”

She said the governor appreciates DeSantis for “the support in responding to this national crisis and helping Texans.”

But Garcia, with LULAC, said the strategy of “deceiving” migrants is “cruel.”

“It's shameful that Gov. Abbott and Gov. DeSantis are using immigrants in this manner, and we're taking actions to track down this woman,” he said.

Sergio Martínez-Beltrán

Sergio Martínez-Beltrán is the Texas Capitol Reporter for The Texas Newsroom. Got a tip? Email him at smb@kut.org. Follow him on Twitter @SergioMarBel.

See stories by Sergio Martínez-Beltrán

"The Raza Icons of LULAC in the Mainland Están Poniendo Hojo," by "Coco" companion-book author, Roni Capin Rivera-Ashford

Many thanks to yesterday's shout out by award-winning children's book author, Roni Capin Rivera-Ashford. 

Be sure to also read the Nogales International news story below.

Hasta la victoria! Gracias!

-Angela Valenzuela

The Raza Icons of LULAC in the Mainland Están Poniendo Hojo

by Roni Capin Rivera-Ashford

Sept. 4, 2022—Voice of the Mainland

To Dra. Valenzuela, President Domingo García and all who represent the best of LULAC ~ the LULAC that was created 93 yrs. ago, of which I, Raúl H. Castro, Dolores Huerta, Raúl Yzaguirre and so many others are/have been proud and grateful members ~

While my heart is saddened to hear, see, and read about all with which you/we are being confronted, I am holding steadfast to the belief that liberty and justice for all will triumph!

Just a couple of weeks ago, my latest book, RAULITO - THE FIRST LATINO

GOVERNOR OF ARIZONA/EL PRIMER GOBERNADOR LATINO DE ARIZONA, the bilingual biography of Raúl H. Castro's life and legacy, received honors from the International Latino Book Awards group co-founded by Edward James Olmos and Kirk Whisler.  

Months ago, I requested the publisher of RAULITO - University of Houston's Arte Público Press' Piñata Books, send President Domingo García a copy. I'm not sure he's received it and I would like to ensure you, Dra. Valenzuela, receive one too. Please let me know to what address I should have them sent. 

RAULITO received the following awards:

Dolores Huerta presented the Gold Medal award to me, virtually, for RAULITO. 

It will be a greater honor when I get to meet Dolores in person. 

*GOLD MEDAL AWARD The Dolores Huerta Best Community Service Themed Book by Roni Capin Rivera-Ashford

*SILVER MEDAL The Raul Yzaguirre Best Political/Current Affairs Book - Insights from the

ILBA judges, 'Raulito comes across as a remarkable leader and role model who made a difference in the lives of Arizonians, especially Latinos.'

* SILVER MEDAL - Most Inspirational Youth Chapter Book

ILBA judges, 'Very inspiring and full of leadership wisdom.'

*BRONZE MEDAL - The Victor Villaseñor Best Latino Focused Non-fiction Book Award – Spanish or Bilingual

Insights from the ILBA judges, 'This would be a book for a high school English or Spanish class'

RAULITO is a book for ALL AGES - 8 yrs. + that brings "Hidden History" to light and is an inspirational legacy we've been left by an amazing man who represented the best of the human spirit - overcoming poverty and discrimination with courage, perseverance, sports, and education. He then spoke to young and old alike, after retirement, to continue to share, care and inspire! 

Thank you ~ Gracias Raúl H. Castro, Dolores Huerta and all @ International Latino Book Awards.

My book, published by Piñata Books - was honored to receive 4 awards + 4 Honorable Mentions - one of these being Best Cover - image by Gary Bennett @ the International Latino Book Awards.

THIS BOOK NEEDS TO BE IN EVERY CLASSROOM & LIBRARY IN ARIZONA & BEYOND ...to teach History, Perseverance, Overcoming Obstacles, Turning Life into a Legacy through Public Education, and ultimately a whole bunch of INSPIRATION for life and learning. 

LEXILE LEVELS FOR READING are: ENGLISH 1050L and SPANISH 1000L

RECOMMENDED FOR READERS FROM 4th to 10th grade

With sincere appreciation and utmost respect,

Roni

"Diversity is the one thing we all have in common; celebrate it every day!"

Nogales native writes 'Coco' companion book

'Miguel and the Amazing Alebrijes' tells the story of another adventure for the characters

• By Kendal Blust
  Nogales International
 
• Nov 21, 2017
 
• Comments

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1 of 3

Roni Capin Rivera-Ashford with her son Aaron Rivera-Ashford, who collaborated 

with her on a companion book for the movie “Coco,” with her husband Daniel 

Ashford at the movie premiere in Los Angeles.

• Contributed photo

Hostile Takeover Attempt of LULAC — Sept. 2-3, 2022 Updates

LULAC is under attack, my friends. As posted previously, National LULAC experienced an attempted coup at its national convention on the island of Puerto Rico on July 30, 2022. My husband and I were there and witnessed this. It was no fun watching our 93-year-old civil rights organization with deep roots in Texas poised on the precipice of impending harm, possibly irreparable, had the Puerto Rican leadership associated with the Partido Nuevo Progresista (PNP) taken over. We're still not out of the woods.

Doing my best to keep folks updated as this is an evolving situation. I've combined three posts in one. All were written by Bernardo Uresti, Editor of the subscriber-only blog, the VOICE OF THE MAINLAND. 

The obvious problem is that, however unfortunate, a divided national office impacts the whole.

Beginning with the Texas Dream Act (House Bill 1403) on which Rep. Domingo Garcia led as a legislator in the Texas House—that is now the Federal DREAM Act—I, and so many others, have worked closely with him since 2001. He is an honest and honorable man and easily the most progressive leader LULAC has had in a good long while.

I should add that I have been a LULAC member for over 30 years and presently co-chair with Dr. Theresa Montaño its national Higher Education Committee on which my husband, Dr. Emilio Zamora—along with 15 other members—also serves. Our work continues regardless as there are pressing policy issues at hand in education that don't go away however embattled our organization. Thanks to President Garcia for representing well our interests as an organization and for fighting the good fight. 

May peace, justice, and a brighter future for LULAC prevail.

-Angela Valenzuela, Ph.D., Member

LULAC Council #4721, District VII

Related Readings: TRO & Whistleblower Account/Signed Affidavit

LULAC Was Served A Temporary Restraining Order (TRO), Averting a Hostile Takeover by Members of the Partido Nuevo Progresista (PNP)

 

Signed Affidavit: Eye-opening and Shocking Detail of the Behind-The-Scenes Politics in National LULAC

 

Sept. 2, 2022

Dear LULAC Familia,

As you know from my recent communications, the health and future of LULAC is under threat because of an ongoing attempt at a hostile takeover by individuals who have created hundreds of unlawful local councils. This attempted takeover is nothing short of an effort to undermine LULAC’s core mission of protecting the voting rights and ensuring social justice for all of LULAC’s members – something we have been doing for nearly a century. This is an existential threat. As National President of LULAC, I have had to devote much of my time and attention to fending off this takeover. These efforts have included dealing with a restraining order from a Texas court that prevented an unlawful election from occurring at last July’s national convention in Puerto Rico. These efforts also include stepped up efforts on my part to supervise and manage the operations of LULAC, including attempting to oversee our financial operations and supervise the performance of our Chief Executive Officer, which are key parts of my job description.

Unfortunately, I have faced multiple internal obstacles in my attempts to protect the health and future of LULAC, including resistance from our CEO to obtaining information necessary to evaluate her job performance and also basic financial information that is fundamental to our operations, and that would shed additional light on the origins of the hostile takeover. Because of this resistance and for additional operational reasons, I recently visited LULAC’s offices in Washington, D.C. for the purpose of temporarily suspending the CEO for her insubordination and multiple allegations of misuse of her office, and to obtain financial and other information that I am clearly entitled to as President of the organization. I was accompanied by our former National President, two highly respected female LULAC leaders. To my surprise, when we attempted to enter LULAC’s offices on the second day of our visit, the CEO prevented us from entering, even going so far as attempting to enlist the police in her effort. As a result, the CEO obstructed us from obtaining the information that, as President, I must have to monitor the operations of our beloved organization.

If that were not enough, as many of you likely have read in social media, after our attempted visit to LULAC’s Washington, D.C. offices, the CEO initiated an “anti-stalking” proceeding against me personally in a local trial court, claiming that I had engaged in intimidating and threatening behavior toward her. She did not notify me that she had initiated the proceeding and did not give me the opportunity even to respond to the highly inaccurate affidavit she submitted to the court. Contrary to the suggestions in her affidavit, I never even spoke with the CEO during my visit to the Washington, D.C. offices and did absolutely nothing that any reasonable person could construe to be a threat or any form of intimidation. These facts are fully corroborated by the three LULAC representatives who accompanied me on that visit. plus video and witness testimony. However, based on the CEO’s inaccurate affidavit and without any notice to me or opportunity to respond, the trial court entered a temporary anti-stalking order. A full hearing on that order will take place on September 8, 2022, which will finally allow me to respond to the CEO’s false statements and to defend myself against her completely unjustified claims. I will not allow her to smear the good name and reputation of our beloved LULAC, in addition to myself.

I ask for your patience and trust and promise that LULAC will survive this attempt to undermine the causes of voting rights, economic opportunity, and social justice that have defined us for nearly a century. We will not let that happen, and I need your support. Please stand up for LULAC and let others know we are united as we have been for 93 years to protect our community. Please help us ensure that LULAC continues to represent the millions of Latinos across the United States. There can be no room for compromise on our principles; together, we will win justice.

Feel free to contact me directly if you have any questions or comments that you wish to share with me. I respect you, and you have my word we will be successful in protecting and saving LULAC.

¡Hasta la Victoria!

Domingo

Domingo Garcia, LULAC National President

_______________________________________________________________________