The Latest Breaking News from Vertol

State official inheriting Florida migrant relocation program has questions about vendor

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — The head of the state agency now tasked with handling Gov. Ron DeSantis’ migrant relocation program told a Senate committee on Tuesday that he was not sure whether he will continue the state’s arrangement with Vertol Systems Company, the politically-connected aviation company paid to transport migrants from…

Miami Herald · Feb 22, 2023

In tweaking Florida’s secretive migrant flights program, lawmakers ask little, reveal less

MIAMI — Florida lawmakers gave preliminary approval to a measure that would not only expand Gov. Ron DeSantis’ ability to relocate migrants anywhere in the country but would allow his administration to hand out millions of dollars in no-bid contracts to companies to carry out the secretive program without disclosing…

Miami Herald · Feb 8, 2023

Judge rejects DeSantis administration’s bid to toss lawsuit over migrant flights

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — A Leon County Circuit Court judge on Friday refused to dismiss a lawsuit against Ron DeSantis brought by a North Miami Beach state senator who has accused Florida’s governor of illegally using taxpayer funds to fly migrants from Texas to Martha’s Vineyard in Massachusetts last September.

Miami Herald · Jan 13, 2023

Over $1.4 million in Florida taxpayer dollars still unaccounted for in migrant flight program

MIAMI — Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ administration has so far paid more than $1.5 million to a politically connected contractor for a program to fly migrants from Texas to northeastern states — but the private jets chartered by the contractor cost only a fraction of that sum.

Miami Herald · Nov 18, 2022

Before DeSantis could say he kicked migrants out of Florida, he had to pay to fly them in

MIAMI — Documents released this week by the aviation company that helped manage Florida’s $12 million migrant relocation program shed new light on behind-the-scenes dealings as the administration of Gov. Ron DeSantis, working with the politically connected vendor, wriggled around a requirement that Florida use the money to export Florida…

Miami Herald · Nov 2, 2022

DeSantis migrant flights may continue, records suggest, including to Delaware and Illinois

Gov. Ron DeSantis’ administration may keep flying migrants from the border to Democratic states using Florida taxpayer money, according to newly released public records.

McClatchy Washington Bureau · Oct 15, 2022

DeSantis migrant flights could last until June, records show

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Vertol Systems has until the end of next June to run through the $12 million approved by the Legislature for what critics have called a “political stunt” — relocating as many migrants as it can from Florida to other states and the District of Columbia, records released…

Orlando Sentinel · Oct 8, 2022

Florida may have violated its own guidelines in flying migrants to Martha’s Vineyard

MIAMI — The state agency charged with managing the controversial migrant relocation program said its mission was “to relocate out of the State of Florida foreign nationals who are not lawfully present in the United States,’’ according to documents obtained Friday by the Herald/Times.

Miami Herald · Oct 7, 2022

Aviation company used for migrant flights contributed to DeSantis allies

Vertol Systems Inc also has connections to a Florida official in charge of its current immigration policy

The Guardian - US · Sep 23, 2022

Company hired to arrange Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ migrant flights is tied to high-level state official

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — When Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ administration needed a company it could trust to carry out a controversial program to transport migrants to other states, it chose an unusual option.

Miami Herald · Sep 23, 2022